I 


- 


.1.-*--r**' 


/N-%- 


REMINISCENCES 


OF   A 


VOYAGE 


AROUND  THE  WORLD. 


By  R.  C.  DAVIS, 

Assistant  Librarian  in  the  University  of  Michigan. 


ANN  ARBOR,  MICHIGAN: 

DR.  CHASB'S  STEAM  PRINTING  HOUSE,  41    ft  43  NORTH   MAIN   STREET, 

lS6q. 


r 


Entered  according  to  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  Year  1869,  by 

A.  W.  CHASE,  M.  D., 

In  the  Clerk's  Office  of  the  District  Court  of  the  United  States  for 
the  Eastern  District  of  Michigan. 

FIRST  EDITION— SIX  THOUSAND. 


PREFACE. 


;ANY  young  aspirants  for  literary  honors  represent 
their  first  literary  productions  as  accidents,  or  oc- 
currences as  inevitable  as  fate.  If  you  believe  what  they 
tell,  you  will  think  they  were  but  faintly  conscious  of  any 
voluntary  act.  They  felt  (the}*  say)  the  throes  of  intellectual 
travail ;  s}rmpathising  friends  called  in  the  accoucheur  (an 
accommodating  publisher) ;  then  followed  an  interval  of 
blank  oblivion,  after  which  they  languidly  raised  themselves, 
and  beheld,  with  emotions  of  profound  surprise,  the  result, 
viz. :  a  12mo,  muslin  covered  volume ! 

All  this  is  a  diffuse  way  of  presenting  a  view  of  the 
matter  that  "Wemmick"  (a  character  of  Dickens,  remark- 
able for  his  idolatry  of  "  portable  property,"  and  the  numer- 
ous accidents  that  befel  him,)  would  have  presented  in  the 
single  exclamation,  "Halloo,  here's  a  book!" 

This  little  volume  was  produced  in  no  such  miraculous 
way.  It  was  written  for  the  purpose  of  increasing,  to  some- 
thing like  an  adequate  amount,  an  insufficient  salary.  The 
labor  was  often  done  in  weariness  and  depression. 

It  is  not  expected  that  mature  minds  will  find,  either  in 
the  style  or  the  matter,  much  to  interest  or  instruct  them. 
But  it  is  hoped  that  for  boys,  this  narrative  of  youthful  ex- 
perience, on  the  "  great  ocean,"  and  in  "  distant  lands,"  will 
possess  interest,  and  afford  instruction. 


4  PREFACE. 

Possess  interest — because  there  is  something  irresistible 
to  youth  in  the  weird  charms  of  the  ocean,  laving,  as  it  does, 
the  shores  of  so  many  and  such  diverse  lands ;  reflecting, 
the  constellations  of  both  hemispheres;  and  containing  in 
its  vast  bosom  such  myriads  of  wonderful  creatures. 

Afford  instruction — because  it  is  a  faithful  narrative 
of  actual  events,  and  describes  truthfully  the  places  visited 
during  the  voyage,  as  well  as  the  habits  of  the  people,  so 
far  as  I  had  opportunity  for  observing  them.  Whatever 
interests  and  instructs,  also  exerts  and  influence.  Now  all 
influences  are  not  for  good.  The  moral  scale  in  human  ex- 
perience, alas!  is  graded  down  as  well  as  up.  Have  I 
thought  of  this  ?  Yes,  I  realize  the  responsibilhy  of  one 
who  would  apply  force  to  character.  And  I  think  there  is 
not  a  thought  expressed  in  all  the  following  pages,  that  is 
inconsistent  with  this  profession. 

I  should  do  violence  to  my  feelings  if  I  closed  these 
prefaratory  remarks,  without  saying  that  I  feel  towards  the 
publisher  of  this  volume,  such  sentiments  as  a  grateful  man 
feels  towards  him  who  has  used  him  kindly  and  generously. 


PUBLISHER'S  NOTICE. 


-»  ♦-*- 


"  I  have  heard  of  the  far-off  sea, 

I  have  heard  of  its  hollow  roar— 
Of  its  rolling,  rumbling  revelry, 

Far  out  from  the  quiet  shore; 
I  have  heard  of  its  caverns  strange 

And  deep, 
Where  the  beings  that  heed  no  change, 

Find  sleep." 


ffl  IIO  has  not  "heard  of  the  far-off  sea,"  and  who, 
^^^v§)  I  would  ask,  is  not  deeply  interested  in  all  that 
relates  to  it  ?  Probably  there  is  no  other  subject  of  thought 
in  the  world,  which  so  enchains  the  mind,  of  every  reader, 
as  a  good  description  of  sea  life  incidents.  Why  such  an 
interest  in  sea-life  ?  Because  the  degree  of  interest  awaken- 
ed in  the  mind  always  depends  upon  the  suddenness  with 
which  danger  to  human  life  may  arise  from  the  surrounding 
circumstances,  and  the  means  at  hand,  upon  which  one  must 
depend  for  relief— rocky  shores — sunken  reefs — raging  storms 
the  lightning  flash,  etc.,  have  all  to  be  met,  on  the  sea,  and 
provided  for  at  once,  or  destruction  overwhelms  them  in  a 
moment  ;  and  sometimes  the  danger  is  increased  by  the 
drunkenness  or  neglect  of  officers ;  for  instance — the  gocd 
ship  Hampton  has  been  running,  one  afternoon,  with  a  light 
breeze,  having  all  sails  set,  and  the  wind,  at  night,  although 
somewhat  changeable,  yet  not  sufficiently  so  to  shorten  sail 


6  publisher's  notice. 

during  the  captain's  watch,  he  having  charged  the  mate  to 
carefully  observe  the  darkening  sky,  at  the  North,  during  his 
watch,  and,  if  need  be,  "  to  unreeve  the  studding-sail  gear, 
rig  in  the  booms,  and  furl  the  light  sails ;"  but  instead  of 
keeping  "  an  eye"  on  the  clouds,  he  allowed  them  to  close 
in  sleep,  until  the  dawn  of  the  morning,  when  the  captain, 
realizing  a  change  in  the  atmosphere,  jumped  out  of  bed  to 
consult  the  barometer,  and  finding  that  it  had  fallen  alarm- 
ingly, hastened  to  the  deck  to  find  the  mate  just  waking 
from  his  stolen  slumbers,  rubbing  his  eyes,  and  not  yet  half 
awake  :  while  "  a  glance  aloft  showed  that  he  had  neglected 
his  orders.  The  studding-sail  booms  were  out,  the  gear  all 
rove,  and  all  sail  set,  from  the  flying  jib  to  the  spanker — 
from  the  royals  to  the  deck;  and. just  to  windward,  close 
aboard,  was  a  furious  squall  bearing  down  upon  the  ship. 
Before  it,  on  the  water,  a  line  of  white  foam — above,  a  black 
impenatrable  wall,  reaching  to  the  frantically  flying  clouds." 

The  captain,  realizing  the  danger  of  his  position,  sings 
out,  in  a  stentorian  voice,  to  the  mate — "  Go  below,  sir.  Go 
directly  below,  sir ! — hard  up  your  wheel — work  sharp !  Call 
all  hands.  Clew  up  the  royals  and  topgallant-sails,  fore  and 
aft.  Down  flying  jib  and  stay-sails.  Brail  up  the  spanker," 
etc., — which  put  every  man  upon  duty  in  the  ship,  the  neg- 
lectful mate  excepted,  with  all  the  activity  they  were  master 
of,  to  save  themselves  from  immediate  destruction  by  the 
fury  of  the  storm.  Upon  another  occasion  a  man  jumped 
over-board  in  a  storm,  and  was  lost,  etc.,  ect. 

Think  you,  gentle  reader,  that  there  was  no  interest  felt 
by  those  on  board  the  Hampton,  under  these  circumstances  ? 
Or,  where  can  you  find  an  individual,  old  or  young,  who 
can  read  the  description  of  these  incidents,  without  having 
his  whole  soul  thrilled  with  an  intensity  of  interest,  as 
though  actually  suffering  with  them  in  their  imminent  peril  ? 


publisher's  notice.  7 

This  voyage  was  made  in  a  new  merchant  ship,  the 
"Hampton,"  from  Bath,  Maine,  between  September,  1849 
and  August,  1851,  via  Cape  Horn  to  San  Francisco,  and  the 
Sandwich  and  other  Islands  of  the  Western  Pacific,  to  Cal- 
cutta, returning  by  the  Cape  of  Good  Hope  to  London,  Eng- 
land, thence  to  Boston,  touching  at  many  intermediate  points 
along  the  route,  in  the  Western  Pacific,  East  Indies,  etc.,  of 
which  no  previous  description  has  been  given. 

And  this  voyage  undoubtedly  proved  more  full  of  interest- 
ing incidents  from  the  fact,  as  will  be  seen  from  the  above 
dates,  that  H  was  made  in  the  time  of  the  California  "  gold 
fever ;"  hence,  most  of  the  crew  left  the  ship  at  San  Francisco 
for  the  gold  fields,  and  others  could  only  be  shipped  to  go  as 
far  as  the  Sandwich  Islands,  from  which  place  only  raw 
u  Kanakas" — Sandwich  Islanders — could  be  obtained,  among 
whom  ignorance,  neglect  of  duty,  and  mutiny  were  the  most 
prominent  traits  of  character,  calling  for  instruction,  great 
patience,  and,  upon  one  occasion,  the  handcuffs,  "  to  bring 
them  to  time." 

The  Author  being  also  a  son  of  the  captain,  whose  life  had 
been  spent  upon  the  ocean,  a  much  better  chance  for  obser- 
vation was  enjoyed,  and  a  much  greater  amount  of  informa- 
tion received,  than  would  have  been  obtained  by  any  other 
writer. 

The  "  Reminiscences"  were  first  written  for  the  "  Youths' 
Department "  of  the  Peninsular  Courier  and  Family 
Visitant,  a  weekly  newspaper  we  have  published  some  five 
years,  the  readers  of  which,  old  as  well  as  young,  clergymen 
as  well  as  others,  have  called  for  their  publication  in  book 
form ;  therefore,  notwithstanding  the  natural  timidity  of  the 
author,  leads  him  to  say:  "It  is  not  expected  that  mature 
minds  will  find,  either  in  the  style  or  the  matter,  much  to  in- 


8  publisher's  notice. 

terest  or  instruct  theni,  hoping,  only,  that  the  narrative  will 
possess  interest  and  instruction  for  boys ;"  yet,  the  publisher, 
taking  it  for  granted  that  what  has  greatly  interested  the  ma- 
lure  readers  of  the  Courier  and  Visitant  will  also  interest 
all  other  readers,  has  deemed  their  publication,  in  book  form, 
advisable ;  hence,  they  have  been  revised  by  the  writer— add- 
ing a  few  incidents  which  memory  had  brightened  and  bur- 
nished by  dwelling  upon  them,  after  the  first  writing — making 
the  work,  no  doubt,  one  of  the  most  useful  and  interesting 
books,  of  the  kind,  before  the  people — blending  interest  icitli 
historical  instruction  to  such  an  extent  that  every  reader  will 
be  profited  by  its  perusal. 

"With  these  remarks  and  explanations,  therefore,  the  pub- 
lisher has,  most  cheerfully,  undertaken  to  place  the  "  Keniin- 
iscences  of  a  Voyage  Around  the  World,*'  in  a  permanent 
form,  before  the  reading  public. 


A.  W.  CHASE. 


Ann  Arbor,  Mick.,  August,  1869. 


CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER    I. 

At  Bath.— Destination  the  "Golden  Gate,"  San  Francisco.— Slush- 
ing down  the  mast.— "So  you  are  the  Captain's  Son,  are  you?" 
— The  "ship's  cousin." 

CHAPTER    II 

"Out  to  sea."— Jackknife  Ledge.— Heartsick,  homesick,  and  sea- 
sick.— Instruction  to  those  seeking  "  a  life  on  the  ocean  wave, 
and  a  home  on  the  rolling  deep." — A  new  existence,  after  the 
sea-sickness.— A  consciousness  of  the  presence  of  God.— On 
Him  the  trusting  heart  leans  daily. 

CHAPTER    III. 

The  Gulf  Stream.— "What  makes  it?— Different  theories.— Its  course 
and  benefits. 

CHAPTER    IY. 

The  Ship,  her  crew,  and  something  concerning  her  management ; 
or,  sea-usages. 

CHAPTER    V. 

Sickness  and  death  of  Ezra  Whitman.— He  committed  his  frail 
bark  to  Christ,  the  faithful  Pilot  and  Steward,  for  that  city 
whose  twelve  gates  are  twelve  pearls,  and  whose  streets  are 
of  pure  gold.— A  comparison.— A  burial  at  sea,  and  seamen's 
superstitions. 

CHAPTER    VI. 

The  "  Sargasso,"  or  weedy  sea,  interesting  to  the  naturalist,  class- 
ical, and  mediaeval  student.— Yellow-covered  literature,  or 
"dime  novels."— To  cure  the  propensity  for  reading  them. 

CHAPTER    VII. 

The  Trade  Winds.— Their  study  increases  our  love  and  reverence 
for  the  Great  Creator.— Phosphorescent  light  in  the  ship's  path. 
—"A  man  overboard."— The  old  Spanish  navigators.— The  po- 
etry of  the  sea.— The  Dolphin,  Petrel,  Porpoise,  Nautilus  and 
Tropic  Birds. 


10  CONTENTS, 


CHAPTER    VIII. 

The  calms  of  the  Equator,  the  sailors'  "  Doldrums."— Intense  heat. 
—Poor  water.— Capture  of  a  Shark.— Lifted  on  deck.— The  "Doc- 
tor" prostrated  by  a  blow  from  its  caudal  extremity.— Like  the 
opossum,  the  female  shark,  when  in  danger,  secures  its  young 
within  itself.— Different  species.— Perpetual  summer.— The  Sun 
is  king.— Rare  beauty  of  a  tropical  "sunset  at  sea." 

CHAPTER    IX. 

The  Island  of  Fernando  Noronha,  the  Van  Dieman's  Land  of 
Brazil.— A  suspicious  sail.— Sailors  prepare  for  a  fight.— Off 
Cape  Frio.— Catamaran,  the  Brazilian  craft  for  trading  and 
coasting.— Arrival  at  Rio  Janeiro. 

CHAPTER    X. 

A  description  of  Rio  Janeiro  and  its  surroundings.— The  Ameri- 
can Consul,  Ex-Gov.  Kent,  of  Maine,  dines  on  board  the 
Hampton.— The  Chigoe,  beds  in  your  flesh. — Lizards,  cock- 
roaches and  snakes  get  into  the  bed. — Scorpions  sting  on  the 
foot. — Everything  bites,  stings,  or  bruises  in  the  Tropics. 

CHAPTER    XI. 

A  Jesuit  experiments  with  the  Chigoe;  but  loses  his  foot.— Empire 
of  Brazil.— Start  from  Rio.— "The  Brazilians  are  brave." 

CHAPTER    XII. 

Tropical  Birds  and  Fishes.— The  Booby,  so  called  from  its  tame- 
ness  or  indifference  to  capture. — Lieut.  Bligh  and  his  com- 
panions set  adrift  in  mid-ocean  by  the  mutineers  of  the 
Bounty,  were  saved  from  starvation  by  the  capture  of  this 
bird,  (See  Chap.  XXII  for  the  end  of  his  voyage).— Frigate-bird. 
—Flying- fish,  etc.— The  "Doctor"  (cooks,  on  shipboard,  are 
always  called  "  Doctor.")— Loses  his  "  free  papers  "  at  Rio.— A 
passenger  finds  and  returns  them. 

CHAPTER    XIII. 

A  heavy  gale— Bird-catching.— The  Albatross.— The  Stormy  Pe- 
trel, from  Peter,  because  they  walk  on  the  water.— The  Dog- 
fish.—Fall  in  with  the  Harriet  Rockwell,  from  Boston,  and 
the  Oriental,  from  Machias,  Me.,  full  of  passengers,  bound  for 
the  golden  shores  of  California.— Visit,  and  sail  on  together. 


CONTEXTS.  11 


CHAPTER   XIV. 

A.  trial  of  speed.— The  Hampton  outsails  all  competitors.— Enter 
Valparaiso,  Chili.— Description  of  the  hay  and  city.— A  street 
fight,  while  there,  between  the  Police  and  about  200  English 
and  American  men-of-war's  men.— One  Policeman  killed.— 
Great  excitement.— An  explanation  about  the  loss  of  the  Es- 
sex, Com.  Porter,  at  this  place,  in  the  last  war  with  England, 
Admiral  Farragut  participating  as  midshipman— French  pas- 
sengers from  Valparaiso  to  San  Francisco.— One,  a  Conjurer.— 
Some  of  his  tricks.— Nearly  a  fight.— Reach  the  "  Golden  Gate," 
San  Francisco,  Feb.  27,  1850,  173  days  out.— Eldorado  at  last, 
and  out  of  seventy  souls,  all  there  save  two,  "Whitman  and  the 
Steward,  who  jumped  overboard  in  a  storm. 

CHAPTER    XV. 

Bay  of  San  Francisco.— Forests  of  masts.— Ships  from  every  land. 
—The  Golden  Gate,  entrance  to  the  Bay.— Islands  de  los  Ange- 
les, Los  Aleatrazes,  and  Yerba  Buena.— Currents  of  the  Pacific. 
—Mate  and  Steward  discharged,  and  the  crew  run  off  to  the 
"gold  diggin's."— Cargo  discharged.— Ship  chartered  to  go  to 
Calcutta  and  load  for  London.— Crew  shipped  for  the  Sandwich 
Islands. — Sansalito.— Mrs.  Brown.— Sail  for  Honolulu. 

CHAPTER    XVI. 

Arrive  at  Honolulu.— Sailors  leave  to  return  to  San  Francisco.— 
They  constitute  our  Author  their  Treasurer  while  they  visit  the 
shore. — A  sailor's  economy.— Description  of  the  Island.— The 
Missionary  work,  and  what  they  had  to  contend  with. 

CHxVPTER   XVII. 

Still  at  Honolulu.— Further  description.— The  Devil's  Punch  Bowl, 
the  crater  of  an  extinct  volcano.- -A  Kanaka  crew. 

CHAPTER   XVIII. 

Description  of  our  Kanaka  crew.— Sail  from  Honolulu.— Violent 
rolling  of  the  ship.— Awkwardness  and  fright  of  the  Kanakas. 
—The  Cook  calls  them  to  account  for  wasting  his  beans ;  "  If 
dat's  de  way  de  beans  go,  dar  wont  be  many  board  dis  ship 
before  soon."— Instructing  the  Kanakas  to  work  the  ship.— The 
Gillolo  and  Ombay  passage  chosen,  through  which  to  pass  the 
East  Indian  Archipelago. 


12  CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER    XIX. 

In  the  Torrid  Zone.— Illness  of  the  Author.— Burning  thirst,  and 
not  allowed  water.— Tantalizing  dreams  of  water.— Recovery. — 
Independence  Day,  off  the  Ladrones. — 1  ire  the  brass  four- 
pounder. — The  Mate  kicks  a  Kanaka.— Mutiny. — Five  whites 
and  one  colored,  the  cook,  against  nine  Kanakas.— Ladron  is 
a  Spanish  word-  signifying  a  thief  or  a  robber,  the  disposition  of 
the  inhabitants  of  the  Ladrones. 

CHAPTER    XX. 

The  Island  of  Mariei-e,  near  the  Molucca  Passage.— Contrary  winds. 
"Swinging  round  the  circle."— In  sight  of  the  Island  thirteen 
days.— Miserere,  a  more  appropriate  name.— Gained  a  day  by 
sailing  west.— Explanation,  by  Edgar  A.  Poe,  of  "Three  Sab- 
baths in  one  week." — Passing  the  Molucca  Passage.— Island  of 
Gillolo,  one  of  the  largest  of  the  Moluccas,  or  Spice  Islands.— 
Productions.— Belongs  to  the  Dutch.— Reptiles,  "  Birds  of  Para- 
dise, etc.— Malay  conquerors. — Treacherous  and  bloodthirsty.— 
Bouro  Dome,  or  Tamahoe  Mountain.— The  Doctor's  difficulty 
to  make  one  of  the  Kanaka  crew  understand  him.— Strength  of 
the  Kanaka's  skull.— Tougher  than  a  squash . 

CHAPTER  XXI. 

Becalmed  under  the  shadow  of  Bouro  Dome,  on  the  Island  01  Nul- 
la Bessy.— Squally.— Fearful  of  the  coast  of  Celebes.— A  sail  — 
Copang,  on  the  Island  of  Timor,  chosen  to  stop  at  for  water.— 
The  "Milky  Sea, "—Report  of  Capt.  Trebuchat,  of  the  corvette 
Capricieuse,  through  the  French  Minister  of  Marine,  to  the 
Academy  of  Science,  in  Paris,  as  to  its  cause.— Attributed  to 
glow-worm  animalcula?.— A  blow  with  an  iron  belaying  pin 
upon  a  Kanaka's  skull.— A  Kanaka  again  in  irons.— Rocky 
Island  of  Po  Cambing.— In  sight  of  Copang.— A  schooner  leads 
us  into  the  Bay. 

CHAPTER    XXII. 

At  Copang— Meet  the  captain  of  the  New  Bedford  whale-ship 
Phoenix.— Copang  celebrated  for  the  hospitalities  shown  Lieut. 
Bligh  and  his  companions  on  their  remarkable  open-boat  voy- 
age, forty-seven  days  out,  sailed  3,600  miles,  the  work  of  mutin- 
eers, (see  Chap.  Nil).— Obtain  water.— Monkeys.— Description  of 
Copang  and  the  Island.— Poultry  and  vegetables  plenty.— Ma- 
lays piratical.— To  "run  a-muck." 


CONTENTS.  13 

CHAPTER    XXIII. 

A  deserter  from  the  Phcenix  on  board.— Taken  back,— Desperate 
case.— Depart  from  Copang.— Indian  Ocean.— Java  Head.— Sai- 
lors'sports  on  board.— Furious  squall. — Ship  down  on  her  broad- 
side, fearfully.— Rain  in  torrents.— Kanakas  useless  in  the  rig- 
ging.—A  toilsome  night.— A  Kanaka  falls  through  a  hatchway, 
twenty  feet,  strikes  his  head  on  an  anchor,  knocking  off  a  bit 
Of  scalp  only.— How  thick  his  skull?— Had  he  any  brains? 

CHAPTER    XXIV. 

Fretful  weather.— A  chafing,  vexing,  wearying  morning,  after  a 
laborious  night.— A  whirlwind  and  waterspouts  endanger  the 
ship.— "There  seemed  no  possibility  of  escape."— "The  Unseen 
Hand  was  again  stretched  out."— Tbe  appalling  danger  over- 
balanced by  the  awful  sublimity  of  the  scene.— Reach  the  Bay  of 
Bengal.— Monstrous  turtles.—"  A  Paddy's  box  of  snakes."— The 
monkeys  on  board  imitate  the  men.— Enter  the  Hoogly.— Reach 
Calcutta.— Oppressive  atmosphere.— A  gang  of  Lascars  employ- 
ed to  do  duty  on  board.— The  Hindoo  abominates  swine's  flesh 
equal  to  the  Jew.— They  live  on  rice.— Not  equal  in  strength  to 
the  sailors.— The  Hoogly  the  chief,  or  largest  mouth  ol  the 
Ganges.— Description.— Dead  bodies  on  the  river. 

CHAPTER    XXV. 

Still  at  Calcutta,  called  the  "  City  of  Palaces,"  as  properly  the  "City 
of  Mud  Huts."— Dining  with  the  American  Coi:sul,  chickens, 
rice  and  curry.— Our  Author  tries  it  and  thinks  it  "some."— His 
health  fails  in  this  climate.—  The  Doctor  has  "a  round"  with  a 
Kanaka,  who  is  put  in  irons,  the  captain  arrives  in  time  to 
save  a  fight  with  all  the  Kanakas.— The  Kanaka  dies  of  fever. 
—All  the  other  Kanakas,  except  one,  run  off,  giving  much  joy  in 
the  ship.— A  Hindoo  sharper —Mate  discharged. 
■■ 

CHAPTER    XXVI. 

Still  at  Calcutta.— Another  mate  discharged  for  drunkenness.— 
Jugglers.— " See  snakee  dance."— Religious  holidays.— The  car- 
go all  on  board.— Departure  from  Calcutta.— Another  drunken 
mate— Off  Sangor  Island  New  Year's  Day,  1851.— "Splicing  the 
main  brace."— New  crew,  mostly  Scotchmen.— After  getting  to 
sea  the  Author's  health  recruits  again.— Feb.  17,  off  Madagascar. 
—Cape  of  Good  Hope  not,  as  generally  supposed,  the  most 
southern  point  of  Africa.— Cape  Lagullus  29  miles  south  of  it. 


H  CONTENTS. 

CHAPTER    XXVII. 

Pass  the  Cape  of  Good  Hope,  called  by  Capt.  Diaz,  Oabo  Tormentoso, 
the  Cape  ol  Storms.— Comparison  with  Cape  Horn.— Smooth 
sailing. — Every  sail  set  "alow  and  aloft."— '-  Yarning  and  caulk- 
ing."— St.  Helena  in  sight,  March  18.— Anchor  off  Jamestown, 
before  sunset.— The  Island  narrow  but  lofts7.— Jamestown, 
Ladder  Hill  and  High  Knoll  make  a  two  story  mountain, in  the 
rear,  over  2,000  feet  high.— Diana's  Peak  2,700.— Fortifications, 
etc. -Good  mackerel  fishing  at  the  Island.— Fresh  mackerel 
better  than  salt  beef.— The  discovery  of  the  Island,  1501.— De- 
scription.—Many  vessels  at  the  Island.— Sail  in  company  with 
a  whaler,  the  Corinthian.— A  dangerous  squall  and  a  sleepy 
mate.— The  "Sargasso  Sea,"  again.— Pass  the  Azores.— Becalmed 
near  an  English  brig.— Receive  the  first  information  of  the 
Crystal  Palace  at  London,  and  the  *high  expectations  of  it.— 
'•  Good,"  exclaim  all  hands,  "we  shall  be  there  just  in  the  right 
time."— Reach  the  English  Channel  in  the  night.— Meet  an  Eng- 
lish brigand  enquire,  "What  light?"— Answer,  "The  Heddy- 
stone."— "  What  time  of  tide?"— '"/gh  water,"  is  answered. 

CHAPTER   XXVIII. 

Arrival  at  London.— Custom-House  officers  short  of  pocket  hand- 
kerchiefs, so  they  take  the  "  Doctor's,"  bought  for  Mrs..  Brown, 
in  Calcutta.— Ship  discharges  cargo,  and  loads  with  iron  and 
chalk  for  Boston.— Walk  outside  of  London.— Run  down  the 
Straits  of  Dover.— "The  White  Cliffs  of  Albion."— Tornado  on 
the  land  while  off  Medford,  Waltham  and  West  Cambridge.— 
A  Dutch  sailor  thinks  "Deblixen!  Mein  Gott,  I  dinks  de  end 
of  de  world  pe  come!" — A  quick  run  to  Boston.— The  "Good- 
bves."— The  Author's  "  best  bow." 


REMINISCENCES 


OF  A 


VOYAGE  AROUND  THE  WORLD. 


CHAPTER   I. 


AT    BATH. 


OT  "  Ba— ath,"  in  old  England,  the  home  of 
f^§)  Beau  Nash,  the  "AquaB  Solis" — waters  of 
the  Sun — of  the  Romans,  to  which  place  "Angelo 
Cyrus  Bantum,  Esq.,  M.  C,"  welcomed  Mr.  Pickwick 
so  cordially,  but  a  more  youthful  city,  Bath  on  the 
River  Kennebec,  in  new  England,  a  city  whose  ships 
navigate  every  sea,  and  every  other  one  of  whose 
inhabitants  is  a  captain  or  a  mate. 

Thither,  to  join  the  ship  Hampton,  my  brother 
and  myself,  one  morning  early  in  August,  1849, 
sailed  from  our  home  at  the  mouth  of  the  Georges 
River,  in  a  little  centre-board  sloop,  bearing  the  eu- 
phonic name  of  "Horse  and  Buggy."  An  uncle  and 
a  cousin  were  with  us,  who  were  charged  with  our 
eafe  deliverv. 


18  REMINISCENCES   OF   A 

There  wa^  a  fresh  breeze  from  the  North,  and 
the  little  sloop,  carrying  a  huge  "  bone  in  her  mouth," 
soon  rounded  Pcmmnquid  Point,  and  then  my  uncle, 
who  was  pilot,  and  a  veritable  Palinurns,  by  ihe 
way,  hauled  his  wind,  and  skirting  the  breakers  on 
Thrum  Cap,  ran  over  to  the  eastern  entrance  to 
Townsend  Thoroughfare.  From  thence,  our  way  was 
through  a  devious  inland  passage. 

Sometimes  we  would  run,  with  sheet  off,  down 
a  narrow  strait,  a  salt  marsh  within  toss  of  a  bis- 
cuit, on  either  hand,  and  then  suddenly  dart  out 
into  a  broad  bay  where  fleets  might  manoeuvre. 

Having  crossed  this,  our  course  would  change, 
and  we  would  heat  through  another  strait,  equally 
as  narrow  as  the  former  one,  but  with  high,  rocky 
banks,  covered  with  huckleberry  bushes.  Through 
this  the  tide  would  be  running  with  us,  like  the 
sluice-way  of  a  mill,  and  the  "Horse  and  Buggy" 
would  forereach  as  she  went  in  stays,  like  an  arrow 
shot  from  a  bow. 

Under  all  circumstances  we  made  good  progress, 
and  the  sun  was  hardly  set  when  we  entered  the 
Kennebec,  opposite  Bath,  and  saw  the  white  ports 
of  the  Hampton  across  the  river. 

The  Hampton  was  a  new  ship,  registering  443 
tons,  old  tonnage,  and  built  that  summer  at  Rich- 
mond, a  few  miles  above  Bath,  on  the   river.      She 


VOYAGE  AROUND  THE  WORLD.  19 

was  advertised,    of  course,    and    the    advertisement 
ran  like  this: 

"FOR  SAN  FRANCISCO.— The  Letter  A,  No,  1,  coppered,  cop- 
per-fastened, and  fast-sailing  ship  Hampton, Master,  will 

have  immediate  dispatch,  as  above. 

•'For  freight,  or  passage,  apply  immediately,  &c,  &c." 

This  advertisement  was  not  incorrect  above  all 
others,  yet  I  can  see  where  it  was  open  to  criticism. 
Canvass  had  never  been  spread  upon  the  ship.  How 
could  it  be  known,  then,  that  she  was  fast-sailing? 
And  I  wonder  if  the  bolts  used  in  fastening  a  ship 
are  all  counted,  and  if  it  is  only  when  the  copper 
ones  far  outnumber  the  iron  ones,  that  the  ship  is 
said  to  be  copper-fastened  ?  But  what  are  adver- 
tisements for! 

The  ship  was  receiving  lumber  for  her  cargo. 
To  carry  lumber  to  San  Francisco  now  would  be 
"  carrying  coals  to  Newcastle,"  but  it  was  not  so 
then,  and  enormous  freights  were  paid. 

The  lading  of  the  ship  went  briskly  on,  but  not 
carelessly,  for  I  never  saw  space  so  economized  any- 
where, before  or  since.  Bunches  of  shingles  were 
opened,  and  wherever  one  could  be  driven,  there 
one  was  put.  I  did  not  play  a  very  important  part 
in  anything.     An  anecdote  will    explain    my  status. 

One  day  a  second  mate  was  shipped  and  entered 
upon  his  duties.  After  examining  the  condition  of 
tilings  aloft,  he  concluded  to  hav  the  masts  slushed 


'20  REMINISCES  CES    OF    A 

down.*  At  that  moment  I  was  the  only  available 
person  in  sight.  He  therefore  ordered  me  to  take  a 
slush  bucket,  go  up  to  the  main  royal  mast,  and  give 
that,  and  the  topgallant  mast  and  topmast,  a  coat  of 
grease.  I  complied  so  far  as  to  take  a  bucket  and 
climb  up  into  the  topmast  crosstrees.  Further  I 
could  not  go.  It  was  in  vain  that  I  twisted  my 
legs  around  the  riff  gin  sc  and  exerted  all  mv  strength 
to  ascend.  Although  only  thirteen  years  of  age,  I 
was  nearly  six  feet  in  height,  and  my  frame  was 
large  and  heavy.  But  on  account  of  severe  injuries 
received  in  the  chest,  my  strength  wTas  at  that  time 
inversely  as  the  length  of  my  limbs  and  the  size  of 
my  body.  After  several  vain  efforts,  I  made  the 
bucket  fast  to  the  rigging,  and  descended. 

"  Well  ?"  said  the  officer,  enquiringly,  as  I  step- 
ped upon  the  deck. 

"I  made  the  bucket  fast,"  I  answered,  glancing 
aloft  at  it.     "  I  couldn't  get  clear  up." 

"You  couldn't,  hey  ?"  he  said,  in  a  tone  in  which 
wrath  was  very  perceptible.  "  Well,  you  just  try 
it  affain." 

"  I  shan't,"  I  answered,  "  for    it's  no  use." 

" You  shan't"  he  roared,  looking  at  me  from 
head  to  foot,  with  anger  and  curiosity  in  his  eyes. 
"  Look  here,  my  lad,  men  don't  say  shan't  when 
they're  afloat.  I  shall  report  your  case  to  the 
captain." 


VOYAGE    ABOUND    THE    WORLD.  21 

""Well,"  I  answered,  "I  don't  think  father  would 
send  me  where  I  couldn't  go." 

"W-h-e-w!"  He  gave  a  prolonged  whittle,  and 
ejaculating,  "So  you're  the  captain's  son,  are  you?" 
turned  on  his  heel  and  left  me. 

I  icas  the  captain's  son.  Therefore,  being  the 
"ship's  cousin,"  as  the  captain's  relatives  are  termed 
afloat,  and  in  a  measure  an  invalid,  I  was  privileged 
to  be  in  the  way  a  great  deal,  bnt  not  obliged  to 
work  much.  And  it  really  gave  me  opportunities  for 
observation  that  I  could  not  otherwise  have  possessed. 

I  have  ahead v  intimated  that  we  were  bound 
for  San  Francisco.  And  this  was  not  a  solitary 
instance  of  a  vessel  loading  for  that  port.  All  along 
our  Atlantic  sea-board,  from  Calais  to  New  Orleans, 
every  description  of  navigation  was  up  for  that  same 
destination. 

The  old  idea  that  had  so  Ions:  obtained,  that 
none  but  the  stoutest  ships  could  round  Cape  Horn, 
was  cast  to  the  winds.  Stout  ships,  indeed,  there 
were,  and  many  of  them,  preparing  for  the  voyage. 
But  there  were  others  of  a  very  different  character 
— old,  and  unsound  in  hull  and  spars — that  were 
eagerly  purchased,  or  chartered.  Freight  and  pas- 
sengers poured  into  them,  and  when  all  was  ready, 
their  prows  were  pointed  southward,  and  they  were 
urged  along  by  all  the  methods  that  the  ingenuity 
of  man  could  devise. 


22  REMINISCENCES    OF   A 

And  the  modern  coaster,  that  all  her  days  hod 
been  contented  to  hug  the  coast  along,  never  aspir- 
ing to  foreign  voyages,  or  the  unbounded  sea,  was 
suddenly  launched  upon  this  river  of  commotion, 
whose  only  issue  was  the  route  to  California.  Forth- 
with her  worthy  skipper  reached  from  its  shelf  his 
long  neglected  Bowditch's  Epitome,  brushed  from 
its  covers  the  accumulated  dust,  and,  out  of  its  in- 
estimable contents,  renewed  his  navigation.  Forth 
from  its  box  he  took  his  ancient  quadrant;  along 
the  graduated  scale  moved  the  index,  and  squinted 
again  through  its  ample  sight  vanes. 

Good-bye  to  green  water,  nightly  harbors,  and 
the  ever  recurring  course  from  headland  to  head- 
land Hail  to  the  blue,  unsounded  sea,  a  constant 
course,  and  Ophir — surely   OpJiir — for  a  destination. 

In  this  fast  age,  the  discovery  of  gold  in  Cal- 
ifornia has  become  an  antiquated  event.  But  no 
event,  at  all  recent,  save  the  great  Rebellion,  has 
so  thrilled  the  nation,  or  led  to  greater  results. 

Wealth  and  Adventure — whv,  these  two  com- 
bined  are  irresistible — irresistible  to  care-worn  man- 
hood, irresistible  to  dreamy  yonth  !  History  records 
the  triumphs  of  this  temptation,  and  the  instances 
are  countless. 

Now,  its  peculiar  features  were  slightly  changed. 
It  was  not  the  coin  of  any  realm,  nor  the  barbaric 
ornaments  of  either  India.     In   no    wise    was   it    in 


VOYAGE  ABOUND  THE  WOELD.         23 

the  inventory  of  "Miss  Killmansegg  with   the  Pre- 
cious  Leer " — not 


-gold-, 


Molten,  graven,  hammered  and  rolled," 

but  it  was  virgin  ore,  dust  in  the  dust,  and  veins 
in  the  rock. 

"Who  does  not  know  how  it  was  found?  On 
the  wings  of  the  wind  the  tale  flew  eastward.  As 
when  the  news  of  Lexington  and  Concord  passed 
along  the  land,  men  suspended  their  labors,  so  now, 
when  this  tale  of  wealth  ran  from  house  to  house, 
rolling  like  a  subtile  vapor  up  over  mountains,  and 
down  into  valleys,  men  paused  from  their  occu- 
pations. 

It  was  wrhispered  in  the  room  of  the  manu- 
facturer, and  that  whisper  was  heard  above  the 
whirring  of  belt  and  the  jarring  of  wheels;  and  the 
sounds  ceased,  for  the  tale  was  seductive  and  the 
manufacturer  was  seduced  away. 

The  midnight  air,  as  it  floated  through  the  dark 
streets  of  great  cities,  and  eddied  in  and  out  of  their 
subterranean  dens,  breathed  the  tale.  And  discord- 
ant music  ceased,  and  unsightly  dances  ended.  The 
inebriate  forgot  his  full  cup,  and  the  murderer  turned 
with  bloodless  knife  from  the  clutched  throat  of  his 
victim.  The  tale  was  seductive  and  they  were  se- 
duced  away. 

The  morning  paper  published  the  discovery,  and 


24  REMINISCENCES    OP   A 

the  pale  clerk  laid  down  his  yard-stick,  and  the 
book-keeper  closed  his  books.  Lawyers  cast  Black- 
stone  and  Kent  to  dust  and  oblivion,  and  the  sons 
of  Esculapius  compounded  pills  no  more. 

The  weekly  paper  rehearsed  the  story  of  the 
daily.  Mute  grew  the  fisherman's  fog  horns  by  the 
shores  of  Maine,  and  on  the  land  the  fences  fell  un- 
heeded, and  where  strong  men  had  labored,  children 
wrought  their  childish  task.  Around  many  doors 
the  weeds,  untrod,  grew  rank  and  tall,  and  within 
no  fire  warmed  the  cold  hearths. 

Oh!  the  tale  teas  seductive,  and  many  men  were 
seduced  away. 

Across  the  Atlantic  they  came,  too,  from  the  old 
world,  men  in  whom,  by  reason  of  oppression,  hope 
was  dead,  yet  avarice    survived. 

Many  keels  disturbed  the  waters  of  the  Pacific, 
all  pointing  toward  the  Golden  Gate.  And  the  ships 
bjre  convicts  from  New  South  Wales,  Lascars  from 
India,  and   Chinese  from  the  Celestial  Empire. 

How  thev  thronged  to  the  Land  of  Gold — all 
races,  creeds  and  colors,  the  generous,  the  noble, 
the  sordid  and  the  mean. 


TOTA.GE    ABOUND    THE   WOBLD.  25 


CHAPTER    II. 


6EA-SICKXESS. 

|,HEN  our  state  of  preparation  would  admit 
®Z$X@  °f  its  being  done  with  any  degree  of  cer- 
tainty, :i  day  was  fixed  for  sailing.  It  was  the  eighth 
day  of  September.  And  on  that  day,  at  3  p.  m.,  the 
ship,  having  on  board,  besides  a  cargo  of  lumber,  a 
large  quantity  of  water,  provisions,  spare  sails,  spars, 
rigging,  &c,  was  attached  to  a  steam  tug,  and   her 

head  turned  down  stream.      As    she  swung    round, 
the  crowd  on  the  wharf  gave  three  cheers.     Seventy 

throats  on  board  responded.     Thus  we  left  home. 

At  six  p.  m.  we  passed  Pond  Island,  at  the 
mouth  of  the  river,  and  half-an-hour  later,  just  out- 
side of  Jack  Knife  Ledge,  the  tug  cast  us  off,  took 
out  the  pilot,  and  returned  to  the  river.  There  was 
a  moderate  breeze  from  the  north-west,  but  an 
old  sea  was  heaving  in  heavily  from  the  south,  over 
the  shoal  ground.  Against  this,  the  ship  under  her 
courses,  topsails,  and  topgallant  sails,  went  rearing 
and  plunging  seaward. 

Heartsick,  homesick,  and  seasick^  I  stood   upon 


26  REMINISCENCES    OF   A 

the  deck  and  watched  the  dusky  outlines  of  the 
coast.  The  sound  of  the  supper-bell,  however,  soon 
interrupted  my  melancholy  observations,  and  I  was 
requested  to  go  below  and  assist  the  steward  in 
waiting  upon  the  tables.  I  complied,  but  before  I 
had  passed  many  cups  of  tea,  I  received  an  internal 
evidence  that  something  was  about  to  occur,  for 
which  I  should  be  better  prepared  on  deck,  with 
my  head  over  the  rail,  than  anywhere  else,  and  I 
left  immediately,  without  apology  or  explanation, 
and  put  my  head  there. 

On  board  a  mackerel-catcher,  a  person  engaged 
as  I  then  was,  is  said  to  be  "  throwing  toll,"  i.  e. 
scattering  finely-cut  bait  to  attract  the  fish.  The 
witticisms  of  fishermen  are  often  more  broad  than 
deep,  but  there  is,  perhaps,  analogy  enough  in  this 
case  to  base  the  facetiousness  upon. 

It  is  also  said  that  persons  thus  engaged,  are 
heard  to  cry  from  the  very  depths  of  their  being, 
"Europe"  as  if  that,  forsooth,  were  the  only  con- 
tinent of  the  old  world,   or,    indeed,    of  both    worlds. 

I  admit,  after  reflection,  that  there  is  some  ground 

for  this  report. 

And  now  that  I  have  introduced  the  subject  of 
sea-sickness,  I  will  muster  all  my  fortitude  and  go 
through  with  it.  All  my  fortitude,  I  say,  for  when 
I  remember  in  what  a  rough-shod  manner   that  de- 


VOYAGE    AROUND    THE    WORLD.  27 

testable  disease  has  ridden  over  ine,  first  and   last, 
I  actually  shrink. 

A  sea-sick  man  is  like  a  man  with  the  tooth- 
ache— no,  that  is  not  just  what  I  mean,  for  the  lat- 
ter is  generally  as  cross  as  a  starving  hear,  while 
the  former  is  very  mild  and  subdued.  What  I  mean 
is  that  neither  gels  any  sympathy  from  anybody. 
Neither,  in  the  popular  mind,  is  it  a  sickness  which  is 
unto  death. 

This  view  in  regard  to  sea-sickness,  is,  however, 
by  many  physicians,  considered  a  popular  error. 

Dr.  Barker,  of  Bellevue  Hospital  Medical  Col- 
lege, New  York  City,  in  writing  upon  the  subject, 
gives  three  instances  of  parties  known  to  him,  who 
died  from  the  effects  of  sea-sicknes?,  and  in  a  very 
short  space  of  time.  And  he  relates  that  others 
have  been  so  prostrated  while  crossing  the  Atlantic, 
that,  after  landing,  weeks  elapsed  before  they  were 
able  to  go  out. 

My  own  experience  convinces  me  that  sea-sickness 
is  often  injurious  to  the  general  health  of  an  in- 
dividual, though  I  never  knew  it  to  result  in  death. 
The  popular  idea  on  the  subject,  however,  is  that 
it  is  never  injurious,  but  often  beneficial,  and  it  will 
be  long  before  that  idea  is  abandoned. 

Sea-sickness  is  one  of  the  ills  of  life  to  which  all 
flesh  is  not  heir.  Many  seamen  have  never  felt  any 
symptoms  of  it. 


28  EEMINISCENCES   OF   A 

Dr.  Barker,  to  whom  I  have  referred,  says:  "1 
myself  am  exempt  from  the  slightest  tendency  to 
this  affliction,  but  on  the  contrary,  feel  at  sea  an 
exhilaration  of  mind,  and  an  elasticity  of  body  which 
I  do  not  feel  on  shore." 

And  the  disease  affects  differently  those  suffering 
from  it.  Some  are  violently  sick  for  a  short  time, 
and  then  recover  fully.  Others  never  become  very 
sick,  but  an  indescribable  nausea  pervades  them  for 
a  long  time. 

It  is  the  general  impression  that  sea-sickness 
cannot  be  prevented,  mitigated  or  cured  by  med- 
ical  art. 

Dr.  Barker  is  of  a  different  opinion,  however. 
After  stating  that  the  centre  of  a  vessel,  because  the 
motion  is  less  there,  is  the  best  place  to  locate  in, 
he  gives  the  following  directions: 

1.  Have  every  preparation  made  at  least  twenty- 
four  hours  before  starting,  so  that  the  system  may 
not  be  exhausted  by  overwork  and  want  of  sleep. 
This  direction  is  particularly  important    for    ladies. 

2.  Eat  as  hearty  a  meal  as  possible  before  going 
on  board. 

3.  Go  on  board  sufficiently  early  to  arrange  such 
things  as  may  be  wanted  for  the  first  day  or  two, 
so  that  they  mny  be  easy  of  access;  then  undress 
and  go  to  bed  before    the    vessel    gets   under  way. 


VOYAGE    AROUND    THE   WORLD.  29 

The  neglect  of  this  rule,  by  those  who  are  liable  to 
sea-sickness,  is  sure  to  be  regretted. 

4.  Eat  regularly  and  heartily,  but  without  raising 
the  head,  for  at  least  one  or  two  days.  In  this 
way  the  habit  of  digestion  is  kept  up,  the  strength 
is  preserved,  while  the  system  becomes  accustomed 
to  the  constant  change  of  equilibrium. 

5.  On  the  first  night  out,  take  some  mild  laxative 
pills,  as  for  example,  two  or  three  of  the  compound 
rhubarb  pills. 

6.  After  having  become  so  far  habituated  to  the 
sea  as  to  be  able  to  take  your  meals  at  the  table, 
and  to  go  on  deck,  never  think  of  rising  in  the 
morning  until  you  have  eaten  something,  as  a  plate 
of  oatmeal  porridge,  or  a  cup  of  coffee  or  tea,  with 
sea-biscuit  or  toast. 

7.  If,  subsequently,  during  the  voyage,  the  sea 
should  become  unusually  rough,  go  to  bed  before 
getting  sick.  It  is  foolish  to  dare  anything  wrhen 
there  is  no  glory  to  be  won,  and  something  may 
be  lost. 

Such  are  the  Doctor's  preventives.  I  need  hardly 
point  out  that  he  can  refer  only  to  passengers.  A 
seaman \s  lodgings  are  generally  at  one  extremity  of 
the  ship,  and  his  sphere  of  action  is  bounded  hor- 
izontally, by  the  ends  of  the  flying  jib  and  spanker 
booms,  and  perpendicularly  by  the  kelson  and  the 
main  truck.     As  for  "going  to  bed"  he  never  does 


30  EEMINISCENCES   OF   A 

that.  When  it  is  his  watch  below,  he  turns  in. 
Little  allowance  is  made  for  sea-sickness  before  the 
mast. 

But,  my  young  friends,  if  your  horoscopes  have 
been  cast,  and  there  are  sea  voyages  before  you, 
just  preserve  these  directions  of  an  experienced  phy- 
sician and  practical  man,  and  practice  them  when 
you  embark,  and  you  may  thereby  avoid  a  great  deal 
of  genuine  suffering. 

May  avoid  mind  it,  for  the  Doctor,  even,  does  not 
promise  perfect  exemption.  And  I  think  even  a 
mitigation  doubtful  in  many  cases.  It  has  been 
proved  in  some  diseases  that  the  medicine  that  is 
an  antidote  for  one  man,  is  a  bane  for  another.  In- 
deed, I  have  been  told  by  an  intelligent  physician, 
that  there  is  but  one  disease,  in  all  the  multitude 
of  diseases,  for  which  a  specific  remedy  is  known, 
and  that  disease  is  the  itch. 

For  the  consolation  of  any  of  my  young  readers, 
who  may  contemplate  "  a  life  on  the  ocean  wave,  and  a 
home  on  the  rolling  deep,"  I  will  say,  that,  although 
Dr.  Barker  has  not  prescribed  for  them,  or  rather 
they  cannot  avail  themselves  of  his  prescriptions, 
they  will  always  find  those  afloat  who  will  be  de- 
lighted to  prescribe  for  them. 

Among  these,  the  disciples  of  the  old  school  of 
medicine  usually  recommend  a  piece  of  salt  pork 
with  a  rope  yarn  attached,  which  the  patient  is  re- 


VOYAGE  ABOUND  THE  WORLD.         31 

quired  to  swallow  and  draw  tip  again,  repeatedly. 
I  once  knew  a  poor  simpleton  to  make  use  of  this 
remedy.  Of  course  it  contributed  more  to  the 
amusement  of  the  beholders  than  to  the  patient's 
cure. 

If  the  sufferer  does  not  use  tobacco,  a  quid  of 
that  delectable  stuff  is  sometimes  administered  in- 
stead of  the  pork,  and  the  directions  in  this  case 
are,  to  chew  vigorously  and  swallow  the  juice. 

The  forecastle,  however,  sometimes  contains  a 
Hydropathic  practitioner.  He,  of  course,  prescribes 
a  cold  bath,  and  this  is  given  by  reeving  a  whip  at 
the  end  of  the  fore-yard,  one  end  of  which  is  se- 
curely fastened  about  the  patient's  ankles,  while  the 
other  is  manned  by  sympathizing  friends.  At  a 
given  word,  he  is  run  up,  swung  off  over  the  rail,  and 
dropped  into  the  sea.  One  immersion  is  usually 
held  to  be  sufficient  for  a  cure,  but  sometimes,  when 
the  case  is  an  obstinate  one,  the  patient  is  bowsed 
up  a  little  way,  and  dropped  a  second  time. 

It  is  a  cruel  joke,  and  not  often  perpetrated. 

There  is  one  phase  of  sea-sickness  that  I  would 
not  overlook,  and  which  is  universal! v  considered 
dangerous,  viz. :  when  it  produces  constipation.  Or- 
dinary remedies  often  fail  in  such  instances  to  move 
the  bowels. 

An  aggravated  case  of  this  kind  came  to  my 
knowledge,  and  I  will  give  the  remedy  which  was 


32  BEMINISCEXCES    OF    A 

at  length  effectual.  It  is  always  available  on  ship- 
board, and  is  considered  equal  to  any  case.  Take 
half  a  pint  of  slush  (grease),  a  pint  of  salt  water, 
and  a  pint  of  molasses,  and  boil  them  thoroughly 
together.  A  dose — as  much  as  the  patient  can 
possibly  drink. 

The  case  of  which  I  have  a  knowledge  was  this. 
A  brig  sailed  from  New  York  to  Liverpool.  The 
cook  was  sea-sick — not  severely  so — but  enough  to 
produce  constipation  of  the  bowels.  The  cathartic 
contents  of  the  medicine  chest  were  exhausted  upon 
him,  without  effect.  Weeks  passed  on.  His  sensa- 
tions were  terrible,  and  the  skin  of  his  face  grew 
red,  until  he  was  of  the  complexion  of  a  boiled  lob- 
ster. A  knowledge  of  the  mess  I  have  described 
above  was  stowed  away  among  the  recollections  of 
the  mate.  In  this  emergency  it  occurred  to  him. 
He  promptly  communicated  it  to  the  captain,  and 
offered  to  prepare  it,  if  he  (the  captain,)  would  ad- 
minister it.  He  readily  promised,  and  it  was  pre* 
pared.  But  so  disgusting  was  it,  that  the  sick  man 
vowed  he  would  die  before  he  would  swallow  it. 
The  captain  was  equal  to  the  emergency.  He  pre- 
sented the  tin  pot  of  liquid  with  one  hand,  and  a 
rope's  end  with  the  other,  and  gave  the  cook  his 
choice  in  these  terms :  "  Take  it  now,  or  I'll  rope's 
end  ye  within  an  inch  of  your  life,  and  pour  it  dowi 
your  throat  afterwards." 

§ 


VOYAGE  AROUND  THE  WORLD.  33 

The  cook  t<  ok  it,  and  it  removed  the  difficulty. 

My  advice — advice  drawn  from  experience  and 
observation — to  any  one  who  ships  to  do  duty  on 
ship-board,  and  is  sea-sick,  is,  to  keep  up  a  stout 
heart,  and  do  as  nearly  as  possible,  just  what  he  would 
do  if  well.  Do  von  say  that  you  already  know 
that  a  stout  heart  is  good  under  all  circumstances? 
Then    let  me  confirm  you  in  that  knowledge. 

Young  friends,  when  you  leave  home  and  rela- 
tives to  go  out  into  the  world,  whether  the  heaving 
sea  lies  beneath  your  feet,  or  the  firm  set  earth, 
pray  God  for  a  stout  heart.  Stout  to  resist  loneli- 
ness, hardship,  pain,  scorn,  and  adversity — and  no 
less  stout  to  meet  temptation  in  its  alluring  dis- 
guises, and  the  fascinating  influences  that  would  lead 
you  from  the  path  of  virtue  and  honor. 

But,  all  this  time  I  have  left  myself  with  my 
head  over  the  rail.     Well,  it  was  there  quite  as  long. 

After  a  while,  spiritless  and  stupefied,  I  crept 
into  my  berth.  In  the  darkness  my  eyes  could  fix 
upon  no  objects,  and  by  degrees  my  ears  failed  to 
catch  the  dashing  of  the  water  and  the  creaking  of 
the  blocks.  Gradually  I  became  insensible,  and 
slept  a  restless,  unrefreshing  sleep.  In  the  morning 
I  awoke  to  a  dav  of  like  miserable  existence.  And 
so  I  endured  for  a  week.  Then  the  end  came.  Oh, 
it  was  a  long  and  cruel  initiation  1 

I  came  out  of  it   weak,  thin,    and  pale.      With 


34  REMINISCENCES    OP   A 

hard  salt  beef  and  flinty  sea-biscuits  I  lined  my  un 
steady  ribs.     Never  did  the  daintiest  food  t:\ste    so 
well.     My  long  abstinence  had  ground  my  appetite, 
and  the  healthy,  bracing  air  of  the  sea  whetted   it 
to  a  perfect  edge. 

They  only  who  have  been  sea-sick,  can  properly 
appreciate  sea-sickness.  It  cannot  be  perfectly  de- 
scribed. It  is  not,  in  the  general  sense  of  the  term, 
anguish,  but  it  takes  away  the  strength  and  manli- 
ness of  a  man. 

A  sense  of  nausea  pervades  him.  He  lies  down. 
Action  is  the  most  obnoxious  of  things  to  him.  He 
would  hardly  struggle  to  save  his  life. 

When  I  had  regained  strength  and  animation, 
and  had  slept  sweetly  and  soundly,  I  looked  around 
me  and  beheld  a  new  existence. 

A  blue  sky,  flecked  with  a  few  cbuds,  came 
down  and  met  the  sea.  Against  it  blue  waves  leaped 
joyously  out  of  the  bosom  of  the  blue  sea.  The 
great  bright  sun  shone  down.  The  wind  swept 
cheerily  by,  and  the  ship,  seemingly  free  and  joyous, 
like  all  around  her,  drove  swiftly  along  the    waves. 

How  my  heart  was  lifted  up  and  expanded ! 
What  a  sense  of  freedom  and  joy  pervaded  my 
whole  being.  I  felt  an  impulse  to  clap  my  hands 
and  leap  like  the  waves. 

There  was  no  sense  of  loneliness,  though,  save 
a  consciousness  of  the  presence    of  God,  we  were 


VOYAGE  AROUND  THE  WORLD.         35 

solitary  and  alone.  He — who  is  both  the  mythical 
Jove  and  the  mythical  Neptune — can  fill  space  with 
His  presence,  and  people  it  with  images  of  His 
power  and  glory.  He  is  a  cord  connecting  in  the 
mind  the  past,  the  present,  and  all  time  to  come. 
On  Him  the  trusting  heart  leans  daily,  and  to  Him 
the  eye  of  faith  is  constantly  directed.  If  we  go 
back  to  our  cradles  and  our  mother's  arms,  all  the 
past  speaks  of  Him— and  if  we  tell  our  hopes  of  the 
future,  we  humbly  add,  "  Providence  permitting." 

We  wrould  net  for  worlds  lose  this  consciousness 
of  His  presence — we  could  not  if  we  would. 

"  Whither  shall  I  go  from  thy  Spirit,  or  whither 
shall  I  flee  from  thy  presence  ? 

"  If  I  ascend  up  into  heaven,  thou  art  there  ;  if 
I  make  my  bed  in  hell,  behold  thou  art  there. 

"  If  I  take  the  wings  of  the  morning  and  dwell 
in  the  uttermost  parts  of  the  sea,  even  there  shall 
thy  hand  lead  me,  and  thy  right  hand  shall  hold  me." 

My  dear  reader,  if  you  have  an  Atlas  convenient, 
just  take  it,  please,  and  open  to  the  map  of  North 
America.  Near  the  north-eastern  extremity  of  the 
United  States,  you  will  be  likely  to  see  a  delinea- 
tion, longer  or  shorter,  of  the  River  Kenebec.  Place 
the  end  of  your  pencil  upon  the  mouth  of  the  river, 
and  then  move  it  in  a  south-easterly  direction,  until 
you  reach  the  straight  line  running  across  the  map 
that  indicates  the  fortieth  parallel  of  north  latitude. 
Is  there  anything  peculiarly  interesting  in  this  locality  ? 


36  REMINISCENCES   OP   A 


CHAPTER  III. 


THE    GULF    STREAM. 

OW  was  the  question  at  the  end  of  the  last 
chapter  answered  ?  The  locality  I  designated 
is  decidedly  an  interesting  one.  It  is  in  the  midst 
of  the  Gulf  Stream.  And  what  is  that?  It  is  a 
rapid  river  in  the  ocean,  with  banks  of  water,  and 
a  bed  of  water,  and  yet  none  the  less  emphatically 
a  river.  We  can  describe  it  just  as  any  other  river. 
It  rises  in  the  Gulf  of  Mexico,  runs  in  a  north- 
easterly direction  with  a  constantly  widening  chan- 
nel and  decreasing  velocity,  until,  from  a  vast  mouth, 
spanning  almost  the  western  coast  of,  Europe,  it 
empties  northerly  into  the  Arctic  Ocean,  to  the  east 
of  Greenland,  and  southerly  into  the  Bay  of  Biscay, 
reaching  even,  as  a  distinctive  current,  the  Azores 
and  Canaries. 

What  makes  this  Gulf  Stream,  or  river,  do  you 
ask  ?  Ah,  who  shall  tell  ?  He  knows  who  "  an- 
swered Job  out  of  the  whirlwind,  and  said  *  *  * 
Hast  thou  entered  into  the  springs  of  the  sea?   or 


VOYAGE     AROUND    THE    WORLD.  37 

V 

hast  thou  walked  in  the  search  of  the  depth  ?"  And 
He  alone   knoics. 

But  there  are  rannv  theories  about  it.  Each 
theory  probably  satisfied  its  author  and  his  admirers, 
but  not  the  authors  of  other  theories,  or  their  ad- 
mirers. 

It  was  in  this  maiestic  oceanic  river  that  we 
found  ourselves  after  a  few  clays'  sail  from  Bath. 
Its  waters  were  of  a  deep  and  glorious  blue,  which 
is  a  characteristic  of  this  stream,  particularly  near 
its  source.  And  another  characteristic  was  also 
quite  perceptible — a  shorter  and  sharper  sea.  My 
interest  in  anything  was  not  excessive  at  this  time, 
on  account  of  causes  detailed  in  the  preceeding 
chapter.  But  despite  all  untoward  circumstances, 
the  scene  impressed  me  deeply,  having  been  all  my 
life  accustomed  to  crreen  water  and  a  circumscribed 
horizon. 

The  Gulf  Stream  I  have  said  originates  in  the 
Gulf  of  Mexico.  Cast  your  eves  a  train  upon  the 
map.  Between  the  Peninsula  of  Florida  and  the 
Bahama  group  of  the  West  India  Islands,  you  be- 
hold a  narrow  channel  of  clear  water.  Up  this  the 
Gulf  Stream  pours  impetuously.  Its  width  here  is 
thirty-two  miles,  its  depth  three  hundred  and  seventy 
fathoms,  and  its  velocity  between  four  and  five 
miles  per  hour.  And  here  its  color  is  of  an  intense 
indigo  blue.     Its  limits,  or  borders,  are  so  distinct, 


38  REMINISCENCES   OF   A 

on  this  account,  that  on  sailing  into  it,  one  can 
readily  tell  when  the  vessel  enters  it,  when  she  is 
half  way  into  it,  and  when  she  is  quite  into  it. 

Off  Cape  Hatteras,  in  North  Carolina,  its  width 
is  seventy-five  miles,  and  its  velocity  three  miles 
per  hour.  Off  the  Grand  Banks,  away  up  to  New- 
foundland, its  course  becomes  more  easterly  than 
formerly,  but  there  has  been  all  along,  the  same 
widening  of  its  channel,  and  diminishing  of  its  ve- 
locity, that  was  observable  before. 

Besides  its  current  and  its  color,  the  Gulf  Stream 
possesses  another  peculiarity  of  more  consequence 
than  these.  Its  waters  are  very  warm — possess  a 
very  high  temperature.  In  the  channel  between 
Florida  and  the  Bahamas,  its  temperature  is  niie 
degrees  higher  than  that  of  the  water  that  forris 
its  banks.  When  it  reaches  the  Grand  Banks  it  is 
still  six  degrees  warmer. 

Dr.  Franklin,  who  was  first  to  discover  the  tes- 
tability of  lightening,  and  also  the  first  to  enunciate 
the  great  truth,  that  "  God  governs  in  the  affairs  of 
nations,"  was  first  to  call  public  attention  to  this 
wonderful  phenomena. 

It  happened  in  this  wise :  When  Franklin  was 
in  London,  in  1770,  he  was  consulted  in  regard  to 
a  memorial  which  the  Board  of  Customs  at  Boston, 
had  sent  to  the  Lords  of  the  Treasury,  stating  that 
the  King's  packets   from   Falmouth   were   generally 


VOYAGE  AROUND  THE  WORLD.         3D 

two  weeks  longer  making  the  passage  from  Falmouth 
to  Boston,  than  were  the  common  traders  in  going 
from  London  to  Providence,  R.  I.  They  therefore 
asked  that  the  Falmouth  packets  be  sent  to  Provi- 
dence instead  of  Boston. 

As  the  distance  was  not  a  little  less  between  Fal- 
mouth and  Boston  than  between  London  and  Provi- 
dence, the  Doctor  was  surprised ;  but  he  was  un- 
willing to  admit,  without  some  investigation,  "that 
the  longest  way  round  was  the  shortest  way  home." 
In  pushing  his  inquiries,  he  consulted  Capt.  Folger, 
a  Nantucket  whaler,  wTho  was  al&o  in  London  at 
this  time. 

The  Captain  readily  explained  that  the  difference 
in  the  passage  arose  from  •  this  fact.  The  Rhode 
Island  captains  were  acquainted  with  the  Gulf 
Stream,  and  kept  out  of  it,  while  the  captains  of 
the  King's  packets,  knowing  nothing  about  it,  kept 
in  it,  and  were  set  back  about  fifty  miles  a  day. 
Capt.  Folger  had  become  acquainted  with  it  while 
in  the  pursuit  of  whales.  These  animals  (what  say, 
boys,  is  a  whale  an  animal  or  a  fish,  or  both,  or 
neither?)  were  found  on  both  sides  of  the  warm 
current,  but  never  in  it. 

Of  course,  the  Doctor,  having  found  a  clue,  made 
a  determined  effort  to  follow  it  up,  and  penetrate,  if 
possible,  the  penetralia  of  nature. 

His  theory  of  the  production  of  the  Gulf  Stream 


40  REMINISCENCES    OF    A 

I  will  give  by  and  by.  Of  the  remainder  of  his 
labors  it  is  sufficient  to  say  here,  that  he  called  pub- 
lic attention  pretty  thoroughly  to  the  facts  he  had 
learned.  And  public  attention  has  never  ceased  to 
be  given  to  this  interesting  subject. 

Having  had  their  attention  called  to  it  so  long, 
have  men  discovered  any  utility,  any  beneficent  pur- 
pose, in  this  Gulf  Stream  ? 

This  fact  has  become  apparent.  If  there  were 
not  some  agent  to  carry  off  much  of  the  heat  gen- 
erated in  that  great  basin  of  which  the  Gulf  of 
Mexico  is  the  bottom,  it  would  be  so  great  as  to 
make  this  region  the  hottest,  and  most  pestilential 
in  the  world.  The  Gulf  Stream  is  such  an  agent, 
and  surely  here  is  beneficence   and   utility  as   well. 

Having  blessed  the  dwellers  at  its  source,  has  it 
any  blessings  for  those  who  dwell  at  its  mouth? 

Open  the  Atlas  again.  Our  latitude  is  about  42° 
North.  Turn  to  the  map  of  Europe  and  find  the 
parallel  there.  You  see  it  crosses  Northern  Spain 
and  the  South  of  France.  "Will  our  climate  com- 
pare in  mildness  with  the  climate  of  those  countries? 
No,  truly.     Why?     Wait  a  moment. 

Great  Britain  and  Ireland  may  be  said  to  lie  in 
the  fifty-third  degree  of  north  latitude,  as  that  par- 
allel crosses  nearly  in  the  centre  of  each.  Now, 
how  does  our  climate  compare  with  that  of  Great 
Britain  and  Ireland,  eleven  degrees  farther    north  ? 


TOTAGE    AROUXD    THE    WORLD.  41 

It  is  colder.  To  what  shall  we  attribute  this  re- 
markable difference  ?  To  the  Gulf  Stream,  for  ice 
know  that  it  is  the  cause.  The  west  wind,  which 
is  the  prevailing  one,  blowing  across  its  surface, 
bears  its  warm  exhalations  over  these  lands;  and 
against  the  shores  of  these  lands  its  warm  current 
is  also  impelled.  Its  influence  does  not  end  here, 
but  may  be  traced  along  the  west  coast  of  Norway, 
and  far  up  where  Spitzbergen  lies,  at  the  threshold 
of  perpetual  ice. 

How  wonderful !  These  lands  warmed  in  winter 
by  a  furnace  placed  in  the  Gulf  of  Mexico,  and  the 
heat  sent  through  a  pipe  thousands  of  miles  long. 
But  for  this  provision  of  nature,  Great  Britain  would 
be  as  bleak,  as  inhospitable,  and  as  uninhabitable 
as  Labrador,  to  which  it  corresponds  in  latitude. 

But  are  the  benefits  of  the  Gulf  Stream  confined 
to  its  extremities  ?  No.  Vessels  bound  to  New 
York,  and  ports  of  New  England,  in  winter,  meet 
with  severe  cold,  and  terrible  gales  off  the  coast. 
And  when  hugging  the  frosty  hurricanes,  off  these 
ports  of  destination,  they  become  unmanageable, 
from  the  ice  that  accumulates  in  masses  on  every- 
thing, is  it  not  a  benefit  to  have  these  warm  waters 
right  under  the  lee?  In  this  place  of  refuge  the 
ice  will  quickly  disappear,  and  chilled  and  stiffened 
fingers  grow  warm  and  limber  again.  There  is  sum- 
mer heat  in  the  Gulf  Stream  in  the  dead  of  winter. 


42  BEMINISCENCES   OP   A 

There  the  weather  worn  mariner  may  refit  his 
vessel,  and  recruit  his  energies  for  another  trial. 

Do  vessels  take  advantage  of  this  provision  of 
Providence  ?  As  a  matter  of  course.  Without  the 
Gulf  Stream  the  coast  would  not  be  navigable  in 
winter. 

Two  years  ago  I  conversed  with  a  ship-master 
who  had  just  arrived  in  Boston  from  New  Orleans. 
Four  times,  he  said,  he  was  inside  of  Cape  Cod, 
and  each  time  encountered  weather  that  compelled 
him  to  put  his  helm  up,  and  with  his  ship's  waist 
full  of  ice,  and  every  rope  as  big  as  his  leg,  run 
back  into  the  Gulf  Stream  and  thaw  out.  He  said 
it  was  a  great  relief  to  him  when  he  got  into  port, 
a  statement  to  which,  after  what  he  had  told  me, 
I  was  prepared  to  give  full  credit. 

In  other  respects  the  Gulf  Stream  benefits  the 
mariner.  Its  presence  indicates  to  him  that  he  has 
approached  the  coast ;  and  by  keeping  in  it  when 
bound  to  the  eastward,  he  can  make  greater  progress. 

And  now  we  will  view  this  accommodating 
stream  in  another  character — one  in  which  it  accom- 
plishes results  that  are  at  the  same  time  very  ben- 
eficial to  the  mariner,  and  very  interesting  to  all 
classes  of  society. 

You  know  that  Kim?  Cold,  from  his  extensive 
dock-yards,  away  up  north,  is   constantly    dispatch- 


VOYAGE  AROUXD  THE  WORLD.         43 

ing  his  armadas  of  icebergs  down  to  tlie  portions  of 
the  Atlantic  sacred  to  commerce. 

Men  could  not  contend  with  these,  and  could 
they  pass  the  limits  to  which  they  are  now  con- 
fined, they  would  sweep  the  seas  of  warl.ke  and 
peaceful  navies  alike. 

Now  who  has  confined  them  to  certain  limits  ? 
"Who  comes  to  the  rescue  of  the  race  here?  It  is 
King  Heat,  the  eternal  enemy  of  King  Cold,  with 
whom  he  has  warred,  with  varying  success,  since 
the  besfinningr  of  time.  From  his  throne  in  the  Gulf 
of  Mexico,  he  saw  the  peril  of  man,  and  poured 
the  warm  waters  of  the  Gulf  Stream  up  the  coast. 
They  meet  the  cold  currents  of  the  North,  and  the 
ice  squadrons  of  King  Cold,  off*  Newfoundland,  and 
there  has  been  the  battle-field. 

Do  vou  ask  me  where  are  the  wrecks  of  battle 
that  strew  this  mighty  field?  Behold  them — the 
Grand  Banks  of  Newfoundland! 

The  Grand  Banks  are  the  deposits  of  the  Gulf 
Stream,  and  the  icebergs  jointly.  The  former,  on 
account  of  the  chilly  currents  from  the  north,  de- 
posits  here  the  infusoria  and  corpses  of  living  things 
brought  forth  in  its  warm  waters.  The  latter,  melt- 
ed by  the  warm  current  from  the  south,  deposit 
here  their  loads  of  stone  and  earth,  torn  oif  frcm. 
the  Arctic  continent. 

It  is  wTonderful ! 


44  EEMIXISCEXCES    OF    A 

Now  if  all  these  facts  impress  you  as  they  ought, 
you  will  ask  if  there  are  the  same  evidences. of  the 
Creator's  wisdom  here,  that  are  observable  in  His 
other  works. 

There  is  this  fact  about  the  Gulf  Stream  that  is 
very  striking  and  beautiful.  One  of  its  offices  is  to 
convey  heat  from  the  Gulf  region  to  the  cold  re- 
gions of  the  north.  Earth  is  a  good  conductor  of 
heat,  and  did  this  stream  in  any  part  of  its  course 
touch  the  crust  of  the  earth,  much  of  the  heat  would 
be  conducted  off.  But  it  nowhere  does.  Though 
flowing  near  the  land  on  one  side,  and  near  the 
bottom  of  the  sea  in  one  part  of  its  course,  it  is 
everywhere  protected  from  contact  by  cushions  of 
cold  water,  an  excellent  non-conductor  of  heat. 

Now  a  few  words  concerning  the  theories  by 
which  the  flow  of  the  Gulf  Stream  is  accounted  for. 
One  has  been  fairly  demolished,  and  I  will  refer  to 
that  first.  It  was  that  the  Mississippi  River  pro- 
duced the  Gulf  Stream.  The  two  following  facts 
overthrew  this  theory. 

it 

1.  The  Gulf  Stream  discharges  from  the  Gulf  of 
Mexico  three  thousand  times  as  much  water  as  the 
Mississippi  pours  into  it. 

2.  The  Mississippi  is  fresh,  while  the  Gulf  Stream 
is  excessively  salt. 

There  are  other  theories  which  cannot  be  said 
to  be  fairly  demolished.      It    is  held  by  some  now, 


TOYAGE     AROUND     THE:    WORLD.  io 

and  was  held  by  many  once,  that  the  daily  motion 
of  the  earth  on  its  axis,  causes  a  rotary  motion  of 
the  waters  upon  it  from  east  to  west.  Every  boy 
who  has  turned  a  grindstone  that  had  water  poured 
upon  it,  knows  how  this  is.  The  shape  of  the  South 
American  coast  forced  vast  volumes  of  this  moving 
water  into  the  Gulf  of  Mexico  between  that  conti- 
nent and  Cuba.  The  issue  of  this  water,  in  a  con- 
trary direction,  is  the  Gulf  Stream. 

Dr.  Franklin,  however,  and  many  other  scientific 
men  with  him,  held  that  the  Gulf  Stream  is  the 
escape,  from  the  Gulf  of  Mexico,  of  water  forced 
into  it  by  the  trade  winds.  Of  these  trade  winds  I 
shall  have  occasion  to  speak  hereafter.  The  two 
theories  agree  upon  a  head  of  water  in  the  Gulf  as 
the  cause  of  the  stream,  but  do  not  agree  as  to 
how  that  head  of  Avater  came  there. 

Lieut.  Maury  lays  down  this  theorem — "  The  dy- 
namical force  (that  is,  the  force  of  water  in  motion) 
that  calls  forth  the  Gulf  Stream,  is  found  in  the 
difference,  as  to  specific  gravity,  of  intertropical  and 
polar  waters." 

Do  you  understand  this  ?  If  I  do,  it  means  this  : 
The  extremes  of  polar  cold,  and  equatorial  heat,  so 
act  upon  the  waters  subject  to  their  influence  as  to 
disturb  their  equibibrium.  It  is  a  law  of  water, 
that  wdien  its  equilibrium  is  disturbed,  it  will  not 
rest  until  it  is  restored.     Now  here  are  two  agents 


46  REMINISCENCES   OF    A 

continually  disturbing  the  equilibrium  of  the  great 
body  of  water  on  the  globe,  and  an  inexorable  war 
as  constantly  compelling  a  restoration  of  that  equi- 
librium. What  is  the  result?  Oceanic  currents,  of 
course,  and  one  of  them,  Maury  says,  is  the  Gulf 
Stream. 

It  is  a  great  subject,  worthy  of  study,  and  re- 
paying study.  It  will  stand  any  amount  of  dis- 
cussion, and  it  receives  any  amount  of  it. 


T0YAGE    AEOtTND    THE   WOELD.  47 


CHAPTER    IV. 


CONCERNING    THE    SHIP,    HER    CREW,    AND     SOMETHING 
CONCERNING    SEA    USAGES. 

T  the  time  of  which  I  write,  a  ship  of  five 
humdred  tons  belonged  rather  to  the  largest 
class  of  ships  than  to  the  smallest.  Seven  hundred 
tons  for  a  merchant  ship,  was  quite  large,  one 
thousand  tons  monstrous,  and  a  ship  of  twelve  hun- 
dred tons  seemed  a  perfect  leviathan. 

At  the  present  time  a  ship  of  seven  hundred 
tons  is  small,  one  of  two  thousand  tons  not  extremely 
large,  and  very  many  reach  a  number  above  three 
thousand. 

The  gigantic,  not  only  in  living  creatures,  but 
also  in  things,  compels  our  admiration.  We  may, 
indeed,  pay  the  same  amount  of  money  to  see  Tom 
Thumb  that  we  would  pay  to  see  the  Belgian  Giant, 
but  then  the  admission  fee  don't  determine  our  im- 
pressions at  all.  There  is  no  object — seamen  think 
so  at  all  events,  and  always  will — that  more  deeply 
impresses  a  beholder  than  one  of  these  monster, 
modern  ships,  fully  rigged,  whether   under   sail,   or 


48  REMINISCENCES    OF   A 

with  canvass  furled.  To  a  landsman  the  maze  of 
rigging  is  perfectly  bewildering — a  labyrinth  to 
which  he  can  discover  no  clue. 

A  friend  once  told  me  that  he  was  one  day 
standing  on  a  wharf  in  Baltimore,  at  the  end  of 
which  lay  a  very  large  ship,  discharging  a  cargo  of 
guano,  which  she  had  brought  from  the  Chincha 
Islands.  While  there  he  observed  a  man,  evidently 
a  countryman,  come  slowly  down  the  wharf,  look- 
ing carelessly  to  right  and  left.  He  was  quite  near 
the  ship  before  his  eyes  seemed  to  rest  fairly 
upon  her. 

Then  he  approached  still  nearer,  and  looked 
slowly  from  end  to  end  of  the  vast  hull,  his  eyes 
examining  curiously  the  enormous  channels  of  the 
ship. 

And  then  he  glanced  upward,  and  as  he  did  so, 
an  expression  of  intense  amazement  crept  into  his 
countenance. 

Suddenly  dropping  his  eyes  until  they  rested 
upon  the  lower  yard  of  the  main-mast,  he  counted 
loudly  and  impressively,  "one."  Tipping  back  his 
head  until  it  formed  a  right  angle  w^ith  his  spinal 
column,  he  continued  counting,  as  his  eves  rested 
successively  upon  the  lower  topsail,  upper  topsail, 
topgallant,  royal,  and  skysail  yards,  "  Two — Three 
— Four — Five — Six?     Then,    without   a  change   of 


TOYAGE  AROUND  THE  WOULD.  49 

position,  he  raised  both  hands  towards  heaven,  and 
exclaimed,  "Good  Lord!" 

But  all  this  is  irrelevant.  My  intention  is  to  de- 
scribe to  you  our  ship  and  ship's  company. 

The  Hampton  was  double  decked,  and  had  also 
a  poop  deck.  A  poop  deck  is  a  part  of  a  deck, 
extending  from  the  stern  of  a  ship,  to  a  greater  or 
less  distance,  towards  the  bow.  The  poop  deck  of 
the  Hampton  extended  forward  to  a  point  just  be- 
yond the  mainmast.  So  there  was  a  projection  of 
this  deck  beyond  the  bulkhead,  of    about    six   feet. 

In  the  open  space  beneath,  the  pumps  were  lo- 
cated. There  were  also  openings  on  each  side  of 
this  projection,  through  which  flights  of  steps  led 
from  the  main  deck  up  to  the  poop.  The  space 
Tinder  the  poop  deck  was  divided  into  two  parts  by 
a  partition  thwart  ships,  just  forward  of  the  mizzen- 
mast.  The  after  part  was  finished  into  a  cabin,  and 
made  a  very  comfortable,  commodious  and  pretty 
one.  It  "was  lighted  by  skylights  in  the  deck  above, 
and  windows  in  the  stern.  The  captain's  state- 
room is  usually  the  aftermost  one  on  the  starboard 
side,  which  is  the  right  hand  side,  looking  forward. 
On  board  the  Hampton  the  captain's  room  was  quite 
large,  containing,  besides  an  ample  berth,  a  chest 
of  drawers,  a  book  case,  chart  box,  chronometer 
case,  &c.  It  was  lighted  by  a  window  in  the  stern. 
A  raised  seat,  -called  the  transom    locker,  extended 

ro^age  Around  the  TVoni.  * 


50  REMINISCENCES   OF   A 

across  the  whole  cabin.  This  "was  furnished  with 
stuffed  cushions,  and  was  a  very  comfortable  place 
to  sit  down,  or  lie   down. 

Opposite  the  captain's  state  room,  was  the  water 
closet.  The  cabin  contained  six  state  rooms,  besides 
these.  There  were  two  entrances,  one  by  a  gang- 
way and  steps,  from  the  deck  above,  and  the  other 
from  the  main  deck  forward. 

The  remaining  space  under  the  poop  deck,  for- 
ward of  the  cabin,  was,  at  this  time,  fitted  up  with 
berths,  and  occupied  by  passengers.  It  was  denom- 
inated the  forward  cabin,  while  the  other  was  known 
as  the  after  cabin. 

On  the  main  deck,  just  forward  of  the  main 
hatch,  and  extending  nearly  to  the  foremast,  was  a 
house.  This  house  was  divided  into  three  parts. 
The  after  and  larger  part  was  designed  to  accom- 
modate the  ship's  crew.  Next  was  the  galley,  where 
the  cook  reigned  over  the  pots  and  kettles.  The 
forward  part  was  a  store  room.  The  crew,  how- 
ever, instead  of  being  lodged  in  the  house  designed 
for  them,  were,  at  this  time,  in  a  forecastle,  tem- 
porarily fitted  up  in  "  the  eyes  of  the  ship,"  between 
decks,  where  such  institutions  usually  are. 

The  house  I  have  described  was  occupied  by 
several  passengers,  the  second  and  third  mates,  the 

i 

carpenter,  my  brother  and  myself. 

There  need  not  be  much  said   about   the   spars, 


VOYAGE    AROUND    THE    WORLD.  51 

and  rigging,  or  sails.  While  ships  differ  very  much 
in  their  arrangements  upon  deck,  they  diner  very 
little  aloft,  save  that  some  carry  a  greater  number 
of  sails  than  others.  If  you  are  acquainted  with 
the  sails  and  rigging  on  board  of  one  ship,  you  will 
find  that  knowledge  quite  available  on  board  ol 
any   other. 

The  ship's  company,  exclusive  of  passengers, 
numbered  twenty-four,  consisting  of  four  officers, 
(captain  and  three  mates,)  two  stewards,  one  cook, 
fourteen  seamen,  and  three  boys,  the  latter  count  in- 
cluding myself,  who  was  rated  as  cabin  boy. 

This  was  an  unusually  large  crew  for  a  ship  of 
the  Hampton's  size,  but,  with  a  few  exceptions, 
all  were  working  their  way.  It  was  the  easiest 
thing  in  the  world,  then,  to  ship  a  crew  to  go  to 
San  Francisco,  but,  as  we  afterwards  experienced, 
the  most  difficult  to  ship  one  to  sail  from  it. 

When  a  ship  leaves  port  there  is  generally  plenty 
of  work  for  all  hands.  The  anchors  are  to  be  se- 
cured, chains  unbent  and  stowed  away,  everything 
moveable  chocked  and  lashed,  decks  cleared  up,  &c. 
At  night  the  watches  are  chesen.  On  board  of 
merchant  ships  the  men  are  divided  into  two  watches. 
On  men-of-war,  where  men  are  more  plentiful,  and 
owners  richer,  there  are  three  watches. 

While  I  was  gazing  from  the  poop,  with  a  woe- 
begone expression,  at  the  shores  of  Maine,  fast  re- 


52  REMINISCENCES    OF     A 

ceding  in  the  distance  and  the  darkness,  the  opera- 
tion of  choosing  watches  was  going  on,  on  the  main 
deck.  The  mates  had  proceeded  this  her,  and  sum- 
moned the  men  before  them.  The  mate  then 
selected  a  man,  who  responded  to  the  eall  by  going 
over  to  the  port  side.  Next  the  second  mate  chose, 
an  A  his  man  responded  by  passing  over  to  the  star- 
board side.  This  was  continued  until  all  were 
chosen,  including  the  man  at  the  wheel,  who  went 
to  starboard  or  port,  in  count  only,  of  course. 

Any  inequalities  in  watches  thus  chosen — and 
the  men  beins;  generally  unknown  to  the  officers, 
there  must  occasionally  be  such — are  adjusted  when 
they  become  apparent. 

The  exempts  from  standing  watch,  are  the  cook, 
steward,  and  cabin  boy.  The  captain  is  also  an  ex- 
empt, but  it  must  not  be  inferred  from  this  that  he 
sleeps  all  night  always.  Great  responsibility  rests 
upon  him,  and  in  bad  weather  he  is  below  but  little, 
nisjht  or  da  v. 

A  '•  trick"'  at  the  wheel  is  two  hours  in  length. 
The  spice  of  time  that  one  keeps  a  lookout  at  night 
is  also  two  hours.  The  order  in  which  these  "  tricks1' 
and  lookouts  shall  occur,  is  settled  by  the  men. 
The  man  on  lookout,  except  in  very  bad  weather, 
is  stationed  on  the  topgallant  forecastle,  a  short 
deck  in  the  bows  of  a  ship,  about  four  or  five  feet 
above  the  main  deck.     This  is  a  very  bleak  and  wet 


VOYAGE  AROUND  THE  WORLD.  53 

place,  and  in  bad  weather,  the  lookout  (meaning 
the  man,)  is  allowed  a  lee,  if  he  can  find  a  con- 
venient one. 

In  front  of  the  man  at  the  wheel  is  the  binnacle, 
a  place  for  the  ship's  compasses.  There  is  placed 
in  this,  at  night,  a  lamp  which  illuminates  the  com- 
passes. In  it,  also,  a  time-piece  is  placed,  and  on 
it,  within  reach  of  the  steersman's  hand,  is  a  small 
stationary  bell,  with  a  short  lanyard  or  string,  tied 
to  the  tongue.  On  the  topgallant  forecastle  is  a 
much  larger  bell,  arranged  in  the  same  way. 

We  will  suppose  now,  if  you  please,  that  it  is  mid- 
night on  board  the  ship.  The  larboard  watch  has  just 
gone  below,  and  the  starboard  watch   has  the  deck. 

The  second  mate,  who  has  charge,  paces  the 
poop,  his  eyes  roving  in  all  directions,  up  at  the 
sails,  forward  into  the  gloom  that  is  there,  astern 
into  the  gloom  that  is  there,  always  restless  and 
observant.  Anon  he  approaches  the  wheel  and 
gazes  into  the  binnacle.  There  the  helmsman  stands, 
grasping  the  spokes  of  the  wheel,  and  his  eyes  watch 
incessantly  the  compass,  the  sails,  and  the  stars. 
Perched  on  the  forecastle,  the  lookout  sweeps  all 
before  with  constant  glances.  Clang!  It  is  half 
past  twelve,  and  the  helmsman  has  struck  "one  bell." 
The  lookout  seizes  the  lanyard  attached  to  the 
tongue  of  the  larger  bell  at  his  side,  and  in  a  heavier 
tone  responds  "  one  bell." 


54  REMINISCENCES    OP    A 

At  one  o'clock  "  two  bells"  are  struck  aft,  and 
repeated  forward.  "  Three  bells"  announce  half  past 
one,  and  "  four  bells"  two  o'clock.  As  the  lookout 
responds  to  "  four  bells,"  the  word  goes  round  to 
"relieve  the  wheel,"  which  is  a  figure  of  speech 
meaning  relieve  the  man  at  the  wheel.  Immediately 
(if  he  be  a  considerate  man,)  the  next  on  the  sche- 
dule proceeds  aft. 

There  is  a  great  deal  of  etiquette  observed  on 
ship  board,  and  if  the  ship  is  sailing  with  the  wind 
on  one  side,  the  men  go  to,  and  return  from  the 
wheel  on  the  opposite,  or  lee  side.  When  the  ship 
is  running  dead  before  the  wind,  with  square  yards, 
the  starboard  is,  by  general  usage,  the  weather  side, 
and  is  respected  as  such  by  seamen.  When  the  re- 
lief reaches  the  wheel,  and  places  his  hands  upon 
the  spokes  released  by  the  other,  he  pricks  up  his 
ears  so  as  to  hear  correctly  the  course.  "  South- 
south-east,"  says  the  relieved  man.  "  South-south- 
east," repeats  the  relief,  and  the  wheel  is  relieved. 
Pronounce  the  above  named  course  as  if  spelled 
soiS-suth-east,  if  you  wish  to  be  nautical. 

At  half  past  two  the  new  man  at  the  wheel 
strikes  "  five  bells,"  and  the  new  lookout  responds 
accordingly.  Sometimes  there  is  no  response,  be- 
cause, from  thinking  of  his  sweetheart,  or  because 
he  is  a  numbhead,  anyway,  the  look-out  has  gone 
to  sleep.      The    watchful    officer  listens  for    the   re- 


VOYAGE    ABOUND    THE    "WORLD.  55 

sponse.  Often  the  man's  watchmates  make  it  for 
Lira,  or  wake  him,  and  it  is  clone  tardily.  But  some- 
times they  neither  wake  him,  nor  do  it  for  him. 
Then  the  officer,  muttering  wrathfully,  descends  to 
the  main  deck,  draws  a  bucket  of  water,  and  steals 
forward.  Slap-dash  !  It  is  all  over  the  poor  fellow, 
and  his  returning  senses  are  greeted  by  a  hearty 
kick,  and,  "Calking  are  ye,  you  lubber,  you  horse- 
marine,  you  owl  of  the  woods!  Take  that,"  repeat- 
ing the  kick,  "  and  keep  your  eyelids  pinned  back  in 
my  watch,  my  son." 

The  officer  ^oes  back  to  his  station  molified,  and 
when  "  six  bells"  are  struck  aft,  denoting  three 
o'clock,  there  is  sure  to  be  a  prompt  response  from 
the  forecastle. 

At  half  past  three,  "  seven  bells"  are  struck,  and 
at  four,  "  eight  bells." 

The  look-out  follows  the  last  stroke  of  "  eight 
bells "  by,  "  and  call  the  icatch."  Whereupon  a 
sailor  takes  a  handspike,  and  thunders  for  a  few 
moments  on  the  deck,  and  then,  putting  his  head 
into  the  entrance  of  the  forecastle,  he  intones  the 
required  formula — "  Larboard  watch,  a  h-o-y  !  Eight 
bells  !     Wake  up  sleepers,  and  turn  out  ! ' 

The  sleepers  wake  up,  and  turn  out,  and  make 
their  toilets  by  the  light  of  a  tin  lamp,  filled  with 
slush,  and  having  a  rope  yarn  for  a  wick.  Mean- 
while the  second  mate  has,  in  a  less  boisterous  way, 


56  REMINISCENCES    OF     A 

called  his  brother  officer,  and  in  a  few  moments  the 
watches  are  changed,  and  all  is  quiet  save  the  reg- 
ularly recurring  strokes  of  the  bell,  which,  begin-- 
ning  at  "one  bell,"  check  off  the  lapsing  half  hours. 

At  "seven  bells"  in  the  morning  watch,  that  is 
at  half  past  seven  o'clock,  all  hands  are  called  to 
breakfast.  Before  this,  the  watch  on  duty  have 
washed  the  decks,  a  thing  that  is  done  every  morn- 
ing under  all  circumstances.  As  it  is  far  from  the 
rail  of  a  ship  to  the  water,  and  it  would  be  very 
laborious  to  draw  all  the  water  for  washing  decks 
from  the  sea  in  buckets,  a  pump  is  generally  placed 
in  some  part  of  a  ship  to  raise  the  water  for  this 
purpose.  On  board  the  Hampton  this  pump  was 
forward,  just  by  the  bowsprit.  The  water  came  up 
in  a  copper  pipe,  set  into  the  stem.  The  pumper 
stood  on  the  forecastle  (short  for  topgallant  fore- 
castle). The  water  ran  through  a  pipe  under  the 
forecastle  deck,  into  a  large  tub  on  the  main  deck. 
From  this  it  was  dipped  in  buckets  and  passed  about 
the  deck.     The  deck  is  wet,  scrubbed    and    rinsed. 

As  water  is  always  plentiful,  enough  is  used  on 
each  occasion  to  put  out  a  moderate  conflagration. 
After  the  washing  was  done  the  poop  deck  was 
usually  swabbed  dry. 

It  will  be  readily  seen  that  dividing  the  twenty- 
four  hours  into  six  Avatches  of  four  hours  each,  would 
bring  one  watch  on  deck  at  the    same    hours   each 


VOYAGE  AROUND  THE  WORLD.  57 

night — i.  e.  of  the  twelve  hours  pertaining  to  the 
night,  one  watch  would  constantly  he  on  deck  eieht 
hours,  and  the  other  but  four.  To  change  this  order, 
the  watch  from  four  p.  m.  to  eight  r.  :\r.  is  divided 
into  two,  called  "  dog  watches."  At  live  the  decks 
are  swept  cleanly,  and  at  six  supper  is  eaten.  From 
six  to  eight,  the  last  dog  watch,  all  hands  are  gen- 
erally on  deck,  and  generally  at  leisure.  This  is 
the  time,  in  pleasant  weather,  for  sky-larking,  for 
yarning,  for  smoking,  and  for  singing. 

Some  one  may  ask  why  these  short  watches  are 
called  do<j  watches. 

I  have  heard  two  explanations  of  a  humorous 
character. 

One  is  that  the  term  is  a  corruption  of  dock 
watch — a  full  watch  docked,  or  cut  down;  the  other 
is  that  it  is  a  e?^'-tailing  of  a  full  watch,  and  is, 
therefore,  properly  termed    a  dog  watch. 

Seamen  make  nuns  and  deliver  themselves  of  a 
great  deal  of  very  fair  humorous  matter. 

A  ship  is  called  she  contrary  to  the  spirit  of 
grammatical  usage.  I  have  heard  this  reason  for 
it  given  :  "A  ship  is  of  the  feminine  gender,  because, 
like  a  woman,  her  rigging  costs  more  than  her  hull." 

Amusing,  if  you  never  saw  it  before,  but  it's  old 
and  threadbare,  and  besides,  it's  abominable  and  slan- 
derous, and  excessively  unjust  to  the  women,  whom 
may  God  bless  contiuuallv. 


68  REMINISCENCES    OP    A 


CHAPTER    V. 


A   BURIAL    AT    SEA. SEAMEN'S    SUPERSTITIONS. 

I/^IIKN  twenty  days  out,  a  passenger,  Ezra 
j£jg|  Whitman,  of  Waterville,  Me.,  died.  He 
had  been  ill  from  the  outset  of  the  voyage.  Day 
after  day  he  grew  feebler,  and  on  the  twenty-ninth 
of  September,  expired. 

He  had  set  out  with  us  upon  a  long  voyage — 
to  sail  over  the  Atlantic  and  Pacific  waters.  But, 
thus  early  on  our  way,  he  left  us  and  embarked, 
alone,  upon  a  far  longer  voyage,  and  upon  an  ocean 
vaster  than  the  added  Atlantic  and  Pacific,  the 
great  Ocean  of  Eternity,  which  lies  beyond  the  du- 
ration of  Time. 

But  he  went  not  as  an  adventurer  or  discoverer, 
without  direction  or  destination.  He  committed  his 
frail  bark  to  Christ,  the  faithful  Pilot,  and  steered 
for  that  city  whose  twelve  gates  are  twelve  pearls, 
and  whose  streets  are  of  pure  gold.  Oh,  happy 
destination  ! 


VOYAGE  AROUND  THE  WORLD.  59 

Betimes,  we  reached  our  port,  and  entered  its 
"  Golden  Gate,"  and  trod  its  thronged  streets.  We 
saw  its  god,  King  Mammon,  and  his  multitudinous 
worshippers  flocking  from  the  corners  of  the  earth. 
But  happier  he  who  had  entered  the  city  with  the 
gates  of  pearl.  Fire,  and  all  manner  of  desolation, 
has  scathed  the  "  City  of  the  Golden  Gate,"  and 
its  inhabitants  go  from  it  and  return  no  more.  But 
in  the  city  with  the  gates  of  pearl  "  there  shall  be 
no  more  curse  ;  but  the  throne  of  God  and  the 
Lamb  shall  be  in  it;  and  his  servants  shall  serve 
him.  *  *  *  And  there  shall  be  no  night  there ; 
and  they  shall  need  no  candle,  neither  light  of  the 
sun ;  for  the  Lord  God  giveth  them  light,  and  they 
shall  reign  forever  and  ever." 

It  was  afternoon  when  poor  Whitman's  body  was 
committed  to  the  deep.  There  was  no  wind — not  a 
breath.  Since  morning  not  a  catspaw  had  wan- 
dered by ;  but  the  sea,  blue  as  the  sky,  stretched 
far  away,  smooth,  glassy  and  unbroken.  The  flag 
was  set  half  mast.  It  hung  straight  down  in  ver- 
tical folds,  opening  and  shutting  slightly  with  the 
monotonous  motion  of  the  ship,  as  she  fell  and  rose, 
slowly,  on  the  long  ocean  swell. 

At  two  o'clock  the  body  of  the  deceased,  sewed 
up  in  canvass,  and  with  heavy  weights  at  the  feet, 
was  borne  out  of  the  cabin.  A  plank,  laid  in  the 
starboard    gangway,    received  it.      The    feet    were 


00  REMINISCENCES    OF    A 

placed  outboard.  The  whole  ship's  company,  with 
uncovered  heads,  assembled  around.  Almost  perfect 
silence  ensued.  There  was  no  sound  of  animate 
thing,  save  the  twitter  of  the  stormy-petrel — no 
sound  of  inanimate  thing,  only  the  bellying  and  col- 
lapsing sails.      The    service  (that  of  the  Church    of 

I 
England,)  was  read  by  one  of  the  passengers.     The 

reading  was  audible  to  all,  though  sad  and  low.       i 

"Man  that  is  born  of  woman,  hath   but  a  short 
time  to  live,  and  is  full  of  misery.     He  cometh  up, 
and  is  cut  down  like  a  flower;  he  fleeth  as  it  were  ■ 
a  shadow,  and  never  continueth  in  one  stay. 

"  In  the  midst  of  life  we  are  in  death.  Of  whom 
may  we  seek  for  succor,  but  of  Thee,  O  Lord,  who 
for  our  sins  art  justly  displeased?  \ 

"  Yet,  O  Lord  God  most  holy,  O  Lord  most 
mighty,  O  holy  and  most  merciful  Savior,  deliver 
us  not  into  the  bitter  pains  of  eternal  death. 

"  Thou  knowest,  Lord,  the  secrets  of  our  hearts. 
Shut  not  thy  merciful  ears  to  our  prayers  ;  but  spare 
us,  Lord  most  holy,  O  God  most  mighty,  O  holy 
and  merciful  Savior,  thou  most  worthy  Judge  Eter- 
nal, suffer  us  not,  at  our  last  hour,  for  any  pains  of 
death,  to  fall  from  thee.  ' 

"  Forasmuch  as  it  hath  pleased  Almighty  God, 
in  His  wise  providence,  to  take  out  of  this  world 
the  soul  of  our  deceased  brother,  we  therefore  com- 
mit his  body  to  the  deep,  to   be    turned    into    cor- 


VOYAGE     AKOUXD     THE    WOULD.  01 

ruption,  looking  to  the  resurrection  of  the  body, 
when  the  sea  shall  give  up  her  dead,  and  the  life 
of  the  world  to  come,  through  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ; 
who  at  his  coming  shall  change  our  vile  body,  ac- 
cording to  the  mighty  working  whereby  he  is  able 
to  subdue  all  things  to  himself." 

When  the  words  "  we  therefore  commit  his  body 
to  the  deep,"  were  pronounced,  the  end  of  the  plank 
which  supported  the  head  of  the  corpse  was  raised, 
and  the  body  slid  with  a  gentle  motion  from  it,  and 
fell  heavily  into  the  water.  From  my  position  I 
could  look  over  the  side.  I  did  look.  Under  the 
gangway  the  ripple  in  the  water  was  widening,  and 
the  bubbles  breaking,  and  down  many  feet  under 
the  surface  was  the  body,  in  its  white  cerements, 
gliding  obliquely  away. 

Poor  brother  !  Above  thy  resting  place  no  green 
grass  grows — no  fair  flowers  bloom.  And  only  the 
winged  bird,  the  winged  ship,  and  the  invisible  wind, 
can  tread  the  surface  o'er  thv  head. 

The  services  were  ended.  Thoughtful  and  silent, 
but  relieved,  the  seamen  turned  away.  A  corpse  on 
board  a  ship  is  a  weight  upon  the  hearts  of  all  her 
mariners.  Their  tones  are  subdued,  and  their  words 
and  thoughts  take  a  melancholy  turn.  They  cannot 
forget  the  fact.  There  is  a  constant  and  oppressive 
anticipation  of  evil  in  their  minds.  Look  they  up 
to  heaven,  or  down  into  the  deep,  or  abroad    upon 


62  REMINISCENCES    OF    A 

the  waste  of  waters,  it  is  to  behold  some  coming 
evil,  some  strange,  supernatural,  overpowering  woe. 

It  is  one  of  the  seaman's  peculiar  superstitions. 
He  is  a  strange  being.  He  fears  not  the  wind,  or 
the  sea,  the  whizzing  cannon  ball,  or  the  levelled 
pike.  These  are  of  earth.  He  knows  them,  and  in 
conflict  dares  defy  them.  But  when  God's  myster- 
ious hand  hath  been  laid  upon  a  shipmate,  and  hath 
set  free  from  the  body  the  imprisoned  spirit,  then 
the  seaman  feels  a  power  upon  him  that  he  cannot 
resist.  For  there  is  on  him  no  armor  of  scientific 
truth  to  ward  off  his  thick  coming  and  mysterious 
thoughts.  May  not  the  freed  spirit  (he  reasons  about 
it  thus,)  visit  its  old  abode  of  clay  ?  In  what  guise 
will  it  come,  if  come  it  does  ?  Will  I  behold  it  ? 
And  if  so,  can  I,  uuscathed,  front  a  tenant  of  un- 
earthly worlds? 

They  do,  indeed,  have  strange  fancies.  One 
calm  day  upon  the  passage  I  got  a  billet  of  wood, 
and  went  aft  to  hurl  it  at  the  flocks  of  Mother 
Cary's  Chickens,  hovering  about  the  stern.  As  I 
stood  with  my  arm  raised,  waiting  for  a  good  op- 
portunity, the  man  at  the  wheel  observed  me. 

"  What  are  you  about  ?"  he  asked  me  suddenly. 

"I  am  going  to  heave  this  at  the  birds,"  I  answered. 

With  one  nervous  hand  the  great,  big  whiskered, 
and  bronzed  man  steadied  the  jerking  wheel,  and 
the  other  extended  towards  me. 


VOYAGE  AROLND  THE  WORLD.  63 

tc  Boy," — he  was  in  earnest  I  knew  by  the  depth 
of  his  voice — "  Boy,  do  you  wish  to  see  your  home 
again  ?  " 

I  knew  his  meaning  and  attempted  a  laugh.  I 
was  too  much  awed  by  his  manner,  however,  to 
succeed.     He  went  on — 

"Kill  one  of  them,  and  you'll  see  but  few  more 
suns  rise,  mind  you  that.  This  ship  will  sink,  and 
every  soul  on  board  her,  if  you  draw  a  drop  of  blood, 
or  knock  a  feather  from  such  birds  as  you  see  there." 

"Why?"  I  questioned,  though  I  foresaw  his  reply. 

"They're  sailors*  souls.  Think  of  your  friends, 
my  lad,  and  if  you  love  them  drop  that  stick." 

I  dared  not,  in  the  presence  of  that  earnest  man, 
and  with  his  prophetic  words  ringing  in  my  ears, 
use  my  missile.  I  dropped  it  from  my  hand,  which 
had  grown  strangely  nerveless.  It  fell  overboard, 
and  when  the  ship,  pounding  the  water  with  her 
counter,  had  impelled  it  a  few  feet  from  her,  the 
birds  it  was  designed  to  destroy  gathered  noisily 
about  it. 

Subsequently,  Dr.  Burleigh,  the  dispenser  of  pills 
and  emetics,  brought  up  his  rifle  to  practice   firing. 

After  breaking  a  bottle,  suspended  from  the  end 
of  the  mainyard  by  a  ropeyarn,  and  shooting  the 
yarn  off  in  the  middle,  he  announced  his  intention 
of  killing;  a  Mother  Carev's  Chicken  in  full  flight  on 
the  wing.     There  was  a  general  conviction  that  he 


64  REMINISCENCES   OF    A 

would  do  it  the  first  time  filing,  and  the  interest 
was  great.  The  Doctor  charged  his  rifle  carefully, 
bent  the  cock,  and  raised  the  butt  to  his   shoulder. 

At  the  same  moment  two  stout  hands  were  laid 
upon  the  barrel,  one  stout  hand  upon  each  of  his 
shoulders,  and  a  very  earnest  voice  said  in  his  ear: 

"Doctor,  don't  fire." 

Two  sailors,  who  had  been  occupied  in  the 
vicinity,  had  taken  the  matter  up. 

The  Doctor  was  furious,  and  swore  he  would 
shoot,  and  shoot  them,  if  they  did  not  desist.  They 
struggled  together,  and  no  one  offered  to  interfere. 

"  Here,  Captain,"  the  Doctor  shouted,  finding 
them  resolute,  "  come  here." 

The  captain  approached  from  the  other  end  of 
the  poop  deck.  Before  he  reached  them  he  divined 
the  cause  of  the  difficulty. 

"  Men,"  said  he,  "  go  back  to  your  work.  Doc- 
tor"— but  I  will  not  endeavor  to  repeat  his  words. 
Let  it  suffice  to  say  that  he  convinced  the  Doctor 
of  an  important  fact,  viz.,  that  to  secure  cheerful 
obedience,  alacrity,  and  a  wholesome  humor  in  a 
ship's  company,  one  must  respect  their  peculiar  con- 
victions, where  such  convictions  cannot  possibly  in- 
terfere with  the  goods,  the  rights,  or  the  property 
of  others,  or  violate  any  principle  or  practice  of 
decent  men. 


VOYAGE    AROUND    THE    WORLD.  65 

So,  good  was  wrought  by  superstition  in  both 
these  cases.  I  killed  no  birds  and  the  Doctor  killed 
none.     Shame  on  us  both  that  we  thought  to  do  so. 

And  shame  on  you,  my  young  readers,  if  ever 
wantonly,  and  for  sport,  you  take  the  life  of  any 
harmless,  living  thing.  Xot  that  any  such  are  the 
souls  of  dead  men,  for  that  is  a  monstrous  super- 
stition ;  but  God  gave  them  their  lives,  -which  no 
human  art  can  restore  when  lost.  What  right  to 
kill  them  can  you  claim  ?  They,  too,  are  under  our 
Heavenly  Father's  supervision.  Xot  one  of  them 
falls  to  the  ground  without  His  knowledge,  Christ 
has  said,  and  though  you  may  forget  the  murder 
of  one  in  a  day,  He  will  remember  it  all  the  days 
of  time,  and  His  spirit  will  convict  you  of  it  when 
it  will  seem  very  heinous  in  your  eyes. 

I  will  now  enumerate  briefly  some  other  things 
that  excite  the  sailors  superstition. 

The  sailing  of  a  ship  on  Friday  is  widely  known 
as  a  cause  of  uneasiness  to  her  mariners.  They 
term  it  "  the  unlucky  day,"  and  the  stoutest  hearted 
old  sea  dog  among  them  has  dismal  forebodings 
whenever  the  subject  is  discussed. 

In  order  to  correct  this  superstition,  a  wealthy 
merchant  once  laid  the  keel  of  a  ship  on  Friday, 
launched  her  on  Friday,  named  her  "  Friday,"  and 
sent  her  to  sea  on  Friday. 

Singularly  enough,  she  was  never  heard  of  again, 

Vcyage  Around  to*  World.  ** 


66  REMINISCENCES    OP    A 

and,  instead  of  correcting  the  superstition,  this  whole 
affair  seemed  to  confirm  it  absolutely. 

On  the  other  hand,  my  father,  a  ship  master  of 
fifty  years  standing,  always  sailed  on  Friday,  if 
possible,  and  few  men,  I  think,  have  made  so  many 
voyages  and  met  with  so  few  accidents. 

Should  a  shark  persist  in  following  a  ship  for 
any  length  of  time,  it  would  be  regarded  as  an  omen 
of  ill.  Say  the  sailors,  "  He  is  after  a  meal  of 
man's  flesh." 

And  they  are  confident  that  a  wonderful  instinct 
has  assured  the  voracious  creature  that  he  will  get 
it — confident  that  some  one  will  fall  overboard  into 
his  jaws,  or  die  and  be  committed  to  the  sea.  They 
can  cite  a  thousand  instances  where  this  has  hap- 
pened in  their  own,  and  others'  experience. 

The  perching  of  atmospheric  meteors  upon  the 
spars  is  a  prognostication  of  disaster.  They  are  evil 
eyeS)  say  they,  and  whatsoever  ship  they  look  upon 
is  destined  to  shipwreck  and  ruin,  unless  saved  by 
the  special  good  guardianship  of  God. 

Continued  calms,  or  continued  storms.,  revive  the 

story   of    the    disobedient    prophet,    voyaging   from 

Joppa  to  Tarshish.      There  is  a  mental   casting    of 

lots,  and  he  upon  whom    the    lot    falis,  might   well 

exclaim  with  the  ancient  mariner — 

"  Ah !  well-a-day,  what  evil  looks 
Have  I  from  old  and  young." 


VOYAGE  AROUND  THE  WOELD.  67 

He  is  not  cast  overboard,  like  Jonah  of  old,  but 
he  is  distrusted  on  all  sides,  and  becomes  an  alien 
from  the  little  commonwealth. 

However,  with  the  extension  of  commerce,  and 
a  greater  amount  of  education,  these  old  supersti- 
tions are  dying  out. 

There  is  something  fascinating  to  the  mind,  even 
to  the  most  polished  mind,  in  such  things.  We  all 
have  a  leaning  in  our  natures  toward  the  marvelous 
and  supernatural.  But  it  would  be  a  happy  thing 
if  seamen  would  exchange  their  peculiar  notions  for 
a  belief  in  a  kind  and  ever  watchful  Providence. 

There  are  no  malignant  stars.  Every  motion  in 
the  sea  and  air  begins  with  God,  and  every  pulse- 
beat  in  every  creature  of  the  sea  and  air.  The 
"stirrer  of  the  storm"  is  subject  to  his  will.  He 
works  in  all,  and  through  all,  not  for  the  harm  of 
any,  but  for  the  good  of  all. 

The  superstition  of  the  ancient  mariners  is  gone 
with  all  its  train  of  imaginary  horrors.  Scylla  and 
Charybdis  do  not  terrify  now.  The  Sirens'  songs 
have  ceased,  and  Circe's  fatal  cup  was  shattered 
long  ago.  But  the  heavens  are  still  the  same.  Cas- 
tor and  Pollux  shine  as  benignly  now  as  when  Hor- 
ace committed  to  their  care  the  ship  of  Virgil.  And 
all  the  stars  look  down  unchanged  and  steadfast. 
The  sun  and  moon  do  rise  and  set  the  same.  And 
thus,  ever,  regardless  of  the  ebb  and  flow  of  man's 
imagination,  will  God's  good  gifts  abide. 


68  EEMIMSCENCES    OF    A 


CHAPTER    VI. 


THE    SARGASSO    SEA. 

mf\  THINK  I  have  said  that  I  was  cabin  boy.  In 
gg^sj)  a  little  time  it  became  apparent,  even  to  me, 
that  I  was  not  giving  perfect  satisfaction  to  those 
who  were  most  interested  in  rav  labors.  Yon  see, 
I  had  great  curiosity  to  know  all  that  was  going 
on — and,  by  the  way,  you  show  me  a  boy  that  does 
not  have  great  curiosity,  and  I  will  show  you  a 
greater  wonder  than  ever  Barnum  exhibited.  The 
result  of  this  great  curiosity  with  me  was  that, 
when  a  strange  sail  was  announced,  I  immediately 
left  my  work  and  began  the  ascent  of  the  main  rig- 
ging, not  pausing  until  I  could  throw  a  leg  over 
the  main  topsail  yard,  and  there  I  remained  a  fix- 
ture as  long  as  anything  was  likely  "  to  turn  up." 

A  day  or  two  after  the  burial  of  Whitman,  de- 
scribed in  the  preceeding  chapter,  I  was  plying  my 
avocation  (scouring  knives  and  forks)  in  the  pantry. 
The  pantry  was  under  the  poop  deck,  just  by  one 
of  the  entrances  to  the  cabin. 


VOYAGE  AROUND  THE  WOULD.  09 

I  was  not  so  deeply  interested  in  my  business 
as  not  to  be  aware  suddenly  of  an  unusual  stir  on 
both  decks.  I  threw  my  Bristol  brick  and  cork  in 
one  direction,  and  my  knives  and  forks  in  another, 
and  hurried  out.  It  was  a  beautiful  day.  The  wind 
was  moderate  from  the  north-east,  just  aft  the  beam, 
and  the  sea  smooth  as  a  mill  pond.  There  was 
evidently  much  interest  excited  among  all  on  deck, 
for  some  were  going  aloft,  and  many  standing  on 
the  rail ;  and  from  the  direction  in  which  all  eyes 
were  turned,  and  all  hands  pointing,  the  interesting 
object,  whatever  it  might  be,  lay  to  the  south-east. 

I  leaped  into  the  rigging,  and  lost  no  time  in 
making  my  way  to  my  accustomed  perch  on  the 
maintopsail  yard.  It  was  already  occupied,  but  I 
thrust  mvself  forward,  and  looking  off  on  the  lar- 
board  bow,  saw,  a  mile  or  thereabouts  away,  what, 
at  first  glance,  seemed  a  low,  level  island.  A  mo- 
ment's observation,  however,  served  to  dispel  this 
illusion. 

Its  surface  conformed  to  the  surface  of  the  waves, 
rising  and  falling  with  them.  It  must  then  be  a 
vast  field  of  floating  material.  Of  what  could  it  be 
composed?  In  regard  to  this,  one  could  not  long 
remain  in  uncertaintv  who  made  a  o;ood  use  of  his 
senses.  All  about  the  ship  could  be  seen  small 
patches  of  floating  sea-weed. 

The  great  mass  was  certainly  of   the  same  mat- 


70  REMINISCENCES    OF    A 

ter,  but  on  what   a    gigantic    scale  !      The   patches 
were  small  islets ;  this  was  a  great  continent. 

After  taking  a  good  long  look,  I  descended  to 
the  deck,  and  edged  up  to  a  group  of  after-cabin 
passengers  who  were  learnedly  discussing  the  phe- 
nomena. 

One  made  a  remark  something  like  this:  "These 
great  fields  don't  seem  to  constantly  occupy  one 
locality.  East  India  ship-masters  report  falling  in 
with  them  on  different  meridians." 

Another  man  immediately  said  :  "  The  Govern- 
ment ought  to  have  instructed  Com.  Wilkes  to  make 
a  thorough  investigation  of  the  sea  hereabouts.  He 
could  have  settled  a  good  many  of  these  vexed 
questions." 

"  Then,  after  all,"  I  said  to  myself,  "  it's  noth- 
ing new." 

New !  Go  back  with  me  over  the  eighteen 
Christian  centuries,  and  the  three  pagan  centuries 
that  immediately  preceeded  the  birth  of  Christ.  At 
that  remote  time,  we  are  told,  a  ship  of  Gades  (now 
Cadiz,  in  Spain),  while  sailing  along  the  coast,  was 
driven  by  a  furious  north-east  wind  far  out  into 
the  great  unknown  ocean,  towards  the  setting  sun 
— driven,  until  at  length  they  found  themselves  en- 
tangled among  vast  and  intertwined  masses  of  float- 
ing sea-weed. 

Here  the  wind  had  no  power  to  drive  them  far- 


-VOYAGE   AROUND   THE   WORLD.  71 

ther,  and  when  it  abated  and  changed,  they  hastened 
to  extricate  their  ship,  and  hurried  away  from  this 
strange  region  in  terror  and  dismay. 

In  1492,  as  we  have  all  been  taught,  Columbus, 
embarking  at  Palos,  sailed  into  this  same  unknown 
sea,  and  encountered  the  same  floating  fields  of 
weed,  and  his  crew  expressed  the  same  terror  and 
dismay.  And  from  that  day  to  this,  ships  have  nav- 
igated that  sea,  and  the  wonderful  spectacle  has  not 
failed  to  greet  the  mariner's  eyes  on  each  occasion. 

At  length,  the  Spaniards  and  Portugese,  who 
navigated  it  the  most,  named  it  the  Mar  de  Sargasso, 
the  "Weedy  Sea. 

I  think  I  hear  some  inquisitive  reader  ask,  "  How 
does  all  that  sea- weed  get  there?"  Oh  yes,  how 
does  it  get  there  !  Some  things  are  hard  to  tell, 
and  this  is  one. 

But,  luckily,  we  have  learned  men  among  us, 
wbo  stick  at  nothing,  and  who  will  furnish  you  with 
a  reason  for  anything  that  exists,  for  all  that  exists, 
and  for  much  that  don't  exist. 

These  learned  men  have  a  theory  to  account  for 
the  existence  of  the  Sargasso  Sea,  and  I,  for  one, 
believe  in  it. 

It  is  easy  to  illustrate  this  theory.  Fill  a  pail 
with  water,  throw  in  some  bits  of  wood,  and  whirl 
it  around  rapidly  in  one  direction.  Set  it  down 
and  observe  it.     The  water  is  moving  rapidly  around  \ 


72  REMINISCENCES    OF    A 

in  it — most  rapidly  near  the  edges,  but  in  the  cen- 
tre it  is  almost  still.  Where  are  the  bits  of  wood? 
In  the  still  water  in  the  centre. 

Now  let  us  see  if  we  can  find  any  analogy  be- 
tween our  pail  and  the  Central  Atlantic. 

Open  your  Atlas  and  find  the  map  containing 
this  region.  I  told  you  in  a  former  chapter,  that 
the  Gulf  Stream,  which  issues  from  the  Gulf  of  Mex- 
ico, could  be  traced,  via  Cape  Hatteras  and  the 
Grand  Banks,  to  the  Canaries.  It  does  not  stop 
there,  but  flows  on  south,  past  the  Cape  de  Verde 
Islands,  until  it  strikes  and  joins  the  great  Equa- 
torial current,  which,  issuing  from  the  Gulf  of  Guinea, 
on  the  African  coast,  runs  westerly  across  the  Atlan- 
tic, and  through  the  Carribean  Sea,  enters  the  Gulf 
of  Mexico.  The  circuit  is  complete,  you  see.  And 
the  waters,  constantly  rounding  this  vast  circuit,  as 
constantly  throw  off  into  the  still  water  of  the  cen- 
tre, all  the  floating  material  that  they  accumulate — 
just  as  in  the  pail,  the  -moving  waters  reject  the  bits 
of  wood,  and  they  go  inevitably  into  the  quiet  place 

* 

in  the  centre. 

Now  place  the  point  of  your  pencil  on  the  Ber- 
muda Islands,  then  move  it  east  across  the  ocean 
to  the  Azores,  then  south  to  the  Cape  de  Verde 
Islands,  then  back  across  the  ocean  to  the  Bermudas 
again.     Nearlv  within  the  triangular  limits  vou  have 


VOYAGE  AROUND  THE  WORLD.  Y3 

described  the  Sargasso  Sea  lies.     It  is  about  260,000 
square  miles  in  extent. 

The  greatest  masses  of  weed  are  found  at  the 
north-west  and  south-east  extremities,  one  near  the 
Bermudas,  the  other  just  west  of  the  Canaries.  It 
was  in  the  neighborhood  of  this  latter  place  that  we 
now  were. 

Humboldt  has  named  this  floating  weed  the 
"  Tropic  Grape " — botanists  term  it  fvcus  natans. 
It  grows  upon  submarine  rocks,  from  the  Equator 
to  the  fortieth  parallel  of  latitude. 

In  contemplating  one  of  these  great  masses,  a 
variety  almost  infinite  in  form  and  extent  is  pre- 
sented to  the  eye.  I  do  not  mean  variety  in  the 
masses,  but  in  the  weeds  that  compose  them.  The 
most  frequent  is  the  short,  branchy  cluster,  so  com- 
mon in  the  Gulf  Stream.  There  is  one  kind,  how- 
ever, described  as  having  a  stem  from  1,000  to 
1,500  feet  in  length,  of  the  size  of  one's  finger,  and 
with  "filaments  branching  upwards  like  packthread." 

This  sea  is  also  very  prolific  of  animal  life.  In- 
deed, naturalists  describe  it  as  consisting  in  part  of 
minute  organisms.  These  afford  food  to  larger 
creatures,  that  are  in  their  own  turn  devoured. 

The  Medusae  journey  thither  from  the  Gulf  of 
Mexico  and  fatten  on  the  spoil  they  take — and  the 
whale  also  journeys  thither ;  and  as  he  is  very  fond 
of  the  Medusae    (they  are  his    principal    food),   and 


*l4c  KEMINISCENCES    OP    A 

fin^s  them  here  fat  and  tender,  we  can  imagine  what 
their  fate  is. 

The  Medusas,  commonly  called  sea  nettles,  are  a 
jelly-like  substance,  having  the  head,  or  what  an- 
swers to  the  head,  in  the  centre,  and  the  other 
members  radiating  from  this  head. 

The  mass  of  weed  I  have  described  was  the 
largest  that  we  saw,  and  with  the  leading  breeze 
that  we  then  had,  it  soon  disappeared  on  the  quarter. 

This  Sargasso  Sea  is  not  only  an  interesting 
locality  to  naturalists,  but  also  to  the  classical  stu- 
dent, and  the  student  of  mediaeval  literature. 

Here  the  Atlantis  of  Plato  was  located,  that 
land  of  grain  and  wine,  and.  olives,  of  mighty  for- 
ests, green  pastures,  and  splendid  cities.  Here,  too, 
were  the  Fortunate  Islands,  with  their  salubrious 
climate,  and  profusion  of  perennial  flowers.  Here 
rose  the  Isles  of  the  Biessid,  where  the  righteous, 
without  tasting  death,  realized  heaven  and  immor- 
tal bliss. 

Here,  at  a  later  day,  men  looked  for  the  Isle  of 
St.  Borondon,  whose  mountains  loomed  so  enchant- 
ingly  to  the  eye,  and  yet  so  constantly  eluded  all 
near  approach. 

Here,  too,  was  the  Island  of  the  Seven  Cities, 
with  its  population  of  true  believers,  and  its  cross- 
crowned  churches,  inviting  worship. 

How  the  human  soul,  longing  with  inexpressible 


VOYAGE    AROUND    THE    WORLD.  15 

desire  for  the  lost  Eden  of  the  race,  luxuriates  in 
these  descriptions  of  imaginary  abodes  of  rest  and 
peace  ! 

In  the  appendix  to  his  Life  of  Columbus,  Wash- 
ington Irving  gives  very  interesting  accounts  of  the 
Islands  of  St.  Borondon  and  the  Seven  Cities. 

I  said  these  accounts  were  interesting— so  is  the 
whole  work.  For  everv  one  who  has  not  read  it, 
there  is  a  great  treat  in  reserve,  and  I  recommend 
partaking  of  it  as  soon  as  convenient. 

My  habit  of  deserting  my  work  to  see  what  was 
going  on,  of  course  called  forth  remonstrances  from 
the  steward.  I  heard  them  unmoved,  never  prom- 
ising to  do  better,  and  never  making  any  offensive 
reply — I  may  as  well  say  never  making  any  reply, 
for  I  never  did — but  I  continued  steadfastly  to  do 
as  before. 

At  length  the  case  was  laid  before  the.  captain. 
The  result  was  that  I  was  ignominionsly  dismissed, 
and  a  Bath  boy,  a  year  or  two  older,  appointed  in 
my  place. 

I  now  became,  in  some  respects,  a  vagabond — 
i.  e.,  I  experienced  all  the  joys  of  vagabond  life, 
without  any  of  its  hardships  and  discomforts.  I  slept 
very  cosily  at  night,  and  feasted,  physically  and 
mentally,  by  day.  My  physical  food  was  pea  soup, 
beef,  and  duff — my  mental  food  svci  books  as  "Ten 
Thousand  Topsail-Sheet  Block s"  "  Fanny  Campbell, 


1Q  REMINISCENCES     OF    A 

The  Female  Pirate  Captain,"  and  "  The  Blood-Red 
Revenger  of  the  Spanish  Main."  This  kind  of  lit- 
erature the  passengers  possessed  by  the  bushel. 

These  books  were  enclosed  in  fair  "  yellow  cov- 
erg,"  and  on  their  pages,  inside,  were  described 
adventures  so  wonderful  that  sometimes  doubts  of 
their  truth  rose,  even  in  my  confiding  mind.  It  was 
all  in  print,  however,  and  my  doubts  could  not  scale 
such  a  wall  as  that.  Many  men  disbelieve  that 
"  Whatever  is,  is  right,"  but  no  natural  child  dis- 
believes that   whatever  is  in  print,  is  true. 

As  my  supplies  of  time  and  books  were  unlim- 
ited, I  read  on,  and  on,  and  on,  until,  at  length,  I 
got  an  overdose,  and  became  violently  sick  of 
"  yellow  covered  literature."  Even  now,  when  I  see 
such  books,  the  sight  produces  nausea. 

Many  men  are  miserable  because  their  children 
seem  to  have  acquired  an  insatiable  taste  for  read- 
ing "  dime  novels."  The  taste  is  not  insatiable,  thou 
unhappy  parent,  but  can  be  corrected.  How  are 
children  cured  of  stealing  sugar  ?  Xot  by  any  Ho- 
meopathic doses,  but  by  being  compelled  to  eat 
sugar  in  great  quantities,  until  the  stomach  rebels, 
and  sends  the  saccharine  matter  back  by  the  wray 
it  came.  Really,  though  if  not  Homeopathic  prac- 
tice, this  is  Homeopathic  principle — similia  similibus 
curantur. 

Proceed  in  the  same  way  to    correct   this    taste 


VOYAGE  AROUND  THE  WORLD.  77 

for  reading  these  books  that  are  morally  and  men- 
tally injurious.  Buy  dime  novels  by  the  wholesale, 
set  the  children  to  reading,  keep  them  reading ; 
when  they  tire  give  them  no  rest,  and,  my  word 
for  it,  in  the  end,  you  may  cow  them  by  the  name 
of  these  books,  as  "  on  the  sands  of  Yemen  the 
Arab  mother  hushed  her  child  by  the  name  of 
Richard." 


IB  REMINISCENCES    OP    A 


CHAPTER    VII. 


THE  TRADE  WINDS. "  MAN  OVERBOARD." EL  GOLEO 

DE  LAS  DAMAS. 

EADER,  I  must  ask   you    to    resort   to    your 

£§  Atlas  again.  Open  to  the  map  of  the  world. 
I  propose  to  state  the  general  rule  in  regard  to 
winds.  The  Equator  is  the  centre  of  a  calm  space, 
called  the  Equatorial  Belt  of  calm.  This  belt  is  six 
degrees  in  width,  and,  the  Equator,  being  the  cen- 
tre, of  course  three  degrees  are  of  north  latitude, 
and  three  of  south. 

This  is  not  exactly  true  all  the  year  round,  for 
the  belt  is  influenced  by  the  sun  as  it  declines  to 
the  north  and  south.  But  my  design  is  to  present 
the  general  rule  only. 

Between  the  northern  degree  of  this  belt,  and 
the  thirtieth  parallel  of  north  latitude,  the  trade 
winds  blow  continually. 

Between  the  thirtieth  and  thirty-fifth  parallels  of 
north  latitude,  is  the  calm  belt  of  Cancer,  called 
by  the  sailors  "  the  horse  latitudes."  Here  the  calms 
are  varied  by  light,  shifting  winds. 


VOYAGE    AROUND    THE   WORLD."  j  19 

From  this  calm  belt  of  Cancer  to  the  northern 
limit  of  navigation,  south-west  and  west  winds 
prevail. 

Going  south  from  the  calm  belt  of  the  Equator, 
we  have  first  the  region  of  the  south-east  trade 
winds.  This  region  extends  to  the  thirtieth  parallel 
of  south  latitude,  and  then  comes  the  calm  belt  of 
Capricorn.  From  this  calm  belt  to  the  south  pole 
westerly  winds  prevail. 

A  knowledge  of  these  facts  just  stated  was  ob- 
tained by  years  of  observation. 

Now  for  the  theory.  In  presenting  it  I  will 
make  my  explanations  as  brief  as  possible. 

The  atmosphere  of  the  torrid  zone,  rarified  by 
the  greater  amount  of  heat,  rises. 

The  air  from  both  poles  rushes  in  to  fill  the 
vacuum.  The  result  of  that  would  be  north  and 
60uth  winds,  blowing  from  the  respective  poles  to 
the  Equator. 

But  this  result  is  modified — 

1.  By  the  rotary  motion  of  the  earth  about  its 
axis.  It  is  ea^y  to  see  that  thifl  easterly  progress 
of  the  earth  would  give  a  westerly  direction  to  the 
north  and  south  currents.  It  produces  that  change 
in  them  which  gives  us  the  north-east  and  south- 
east trade  winds. 

2.  A  return  current  from   the    Equator   towards 


80-  REMINISCENCES     OF     A' 

the  poles,  interferes  with  a' regular  and  uninterrupted 
flow  of  the  air  from  the  poles  to  the    Equator. 

While  the  polar  atmosphere  rushes  to  the  Equa- 
tor, the  equatorial  atmosphere  rushes  to  the  poles 
to  fill  the  vaccuum  there.  It  is  but  an  exchange 
of  places. 

The  rarified  air  of  the  equatorial  region  moves 
north  and  south  above  tUe  currents  moving  in  the 
opposite  directions.  Gradually  increasing  in  density 
as  it  recedes  from  the  torrid  zone,  it  descends,  and 
meets  the  polar  currents  between  the  thirtieth  and 
thirty-fifth  parallels  of  latitude,  and  this  meeting  pro- 
duces the  calm  belts  of  Cancer  and  Capricorn. 

In  the  struggle  here  the  relative  positions  of  the 
opposing  currents  are  changed.  That  which  moves 
to  the  north  becomes  the  lower  current,  and  that 
which  moves  toward  the  south  the  upper. 

This  wonderful  circulation  is  incessant ;  this  go- 
ing forth,  and  returning,  admits  no  pause  in  the 
start,  or  on  the  home-stretch.  This  circulation  pre- 
serves for  the  atmosphere  its  tonic,  exhilarating, 
life-giving  power. 

It  is  not  a  bad  theory,  is  it?  Certain  it  is  that 
we  cannot  adopt  it,  without  an  increase  of  our  love 
and  reverence  for  the  Great  Creator. 

It  was  the  design  of  my  father  at  the  outset  of 
the  voyage,  to  touch  at  the  Cape  Verde  Islands  for 
water  and  fresh  provisions.     But,  when  within  three 


VOYAGE  AROUND  THE  WORLD.  81 

hundred  miles  of  them,  to  the  north-west,  we  struck 
the  fresh  trade  winds  from  the  east-north-east. 

Braced  sharp  up  we  could  just  look  up  for  the 
Islands.  The  ship  was  crank,  the  sea  heavy,  and 
"ihe  current  adverse.  Under  these  circumstances  to 
fetch  these  Islands  was  impossible,  and,  as  there 
was  sufficient  water  on  board,  it  was  resolved  to 
keep  the  ship  off  for  Rio  Janeiro,  in  Brazil. 

This  was  October  fifth. 

The  first  part  of  the  evening  I  was  upon  deck. 
Everybody  was  in  high  spirits.  There  was  reason 
for  it.  We  were  making  wonderful  progress.  The 
wind  was  aft  the  beam,  so  that  the  great  crowd  of 
sail  that  was  carried  on  the  ship  drew  fairly.  The 
foretopmast  studding-sail  was  set  with  a  brace  upon 
the  boom.  The  sea  was  long  and  high.  Now  and 
then  a  wave  would  rear  its  crest  far  up  and  break. 
I  could  see  it  for  a  moment,  gleaming  with  ghostly 
whiteness  out  in  the  night,  then  it  would  go  down 
with  a  sudden  plunge,  scattering  the  white  foam  far 
ahead.  Overhead  the  stars  were  gleaming  through 
a  hazy  atmosphere.  Far  astern  the  path  of  the  ship 
was  marked  with  phosphorescent  light.  The  scene 
was  exhilarating,  and  I  enjoyed  it   long. 

At  length  I  descended  to  the  cabin  and  stretched 
myself  on  the  transom  locker  that  I  have  described. 
My  father  and  several  of  the  after-cabin  passengers 
were  about  the  table,  playing  whist.     It  might  have 

T«jags  Around  the  World.  " 


82  KEMINISCEXCES     OF     A 

been  half  an  hour  from  the  time  when  I  came  into 
the  cabin,  that  I  heard  a  loud,  but  not  intelligible 
shout  from  the  forward  part  of  the  ship.  The  whist 
players  paused  in  all  the  attitudes  of  the  game,  and, 
with  their  heads  inclined,  seemed  to  listen  painfull y 
for  a  repetition  of  the  cry.  It  came,  almost  imme- 
diately, and  this  time  from  the  poop  deck  above  our 
heads.  I  did  not  even  then  understand  the  words, 
but  I  saw  the  group  at  the  table  drop  their  cards, 
with  one  motion,  and  leaping  up,  rush    upon    deck. 

Filled  with  astonishment,  I  also  hastened  to  the 
companion  way  and  ascended.  At  first  I  beheld 
only  a  dim  mass  of  human  forms,  tossing  in  the  wild- 
est confusion ;  then  I  saw  forward  through  the  dusky 
air  the  foretopmast  studding  sail,  with  tack  gone, 
flaunting  like  a  great  battle  banner  from  the  yard. 
The  weather  leeches  of  the  topsails  were  lifting,  and 
aw^ay  up,  almost  out  of  sight  in  the  gloom,  I  could 
hear  the  flutter  of  the  lighter  canvass. 

I  walked  aft.  The  man  at  the  wheel  was  turn- 
ing it  to  port,  tugging  at  the  spokes  with  might 
and  main.  The  ship  was  flying  away  obliquely 
across  the  sea  several  points  from  her  course. 

"  Who  is  overboard  ?"  roared  my  father  from  the 
neighborhood  of  the  mizzen-mast. 

Then  it  was  out.  Then  first  I  knew  why  all 
these  things  were  done. 

"  Who  is  overboard  ?"  my  father  had  demanded. 


VOYAGE  AROUND  THE  WORLD.  83 

The  hubbub  of  human  voices,  which  had  hith- 
erto been  deafening,  died  away,  and  one  or  two 
tongues  replied  promptly  : 

"  The  steward — the  steward  !  " 

"  How  came  he  there  ?  " 

"  Fie  jumped  over." 

"Was  "the  alarm  given  immediately?" 

"  No,  not  for  five  or  ten  minutes.  We  didn't 
believe  he  was  gone  at  first." 

There  was  a  pause,  then  my  father  spoke  again. 

"We  are  at  least  two  miles  from  the  man.  The 
sea  runs  high,  and  to  send  out  the  boat  to  look  for 
him  would  be  to  endanger  the  lives  of  ail  in  her 
without  a  chance  of  saving  his.  Besides,  he  jumped 
overboard.  Xeither  reason  nor  humanity  requires 
a  boat's  crew  to  be  risked  in  search  of  him.  Haul 
out  that  tack  again." 

It  was  all  over.  It  only  remained  to  discuss  the 
event.  Gradually,  as  the  discussion  went  on,  the 
facts  were  brought  out. 

The  steward  had  been  accused  of  taking  liquor 
from  the  state  rooms  of  the  passengers,  and  drink- 
ing it.  This  he  strenuouslv  denied,  and  also  made 
the  gratuitous  assertion  that  he  never  used  intox- 
icating drinks.  But  the  liquor  still  continued  to 
disappear,  and  the  steward  was  often  observed  to 
be  in  a  very  excited  state,  raving  almost,  and  then 
to  become  ill.     Just  previous  to  his  jumping   over- 


84  REMINISCENCES    OF    A 

board  he  was  thus  excited,  and  at  night  grew  sick. 
Dr.  Burleigh,  who  still  suspected  him  of  theft  and 
drunkenness,  determined  upon  a  plan  to  satisfy  him- 
self in  regard  to  it.  Therefore,  when  the  man  was 
much  distressed,  he  gave  him  a  powerful  emetic, 
and  desired  him  to  deposit  whatever  he  raised  in  a 
bucket  which  he  brought  to  him.  A  man  was  placed 
to  watch  him,  and  see  that  he  did  not  cast  the  con- 
tents of  the  bucket  overboard. 

He  soon  vomited,  and  then  he  rose  and  walked 
out  of  the  cabin.  Seeing  that  lie  left  the  bucket 
behind,  the  man  who  was  on  the  watch  did  not  in- 
terfere with  his  motions. 

Having  reached  the  deck,  the  steward  walked 
past  a  number  of  passengers,  who  were  sitting  on 
the  main  hatch,  chatting,  and  going  to  the  starboard 
side  of  the  deek,  climbed  up  over  the  rail.  Hang- 
ing by  his  hands,  and  one  foot  over  the  water,  he 
turned  his  face  towards  those  on  the  hatch,  said 
deliberately  — "  Good  night,  gentlemen,"  and  dis- 
appeared. 

Those  to  whom  he  spoke,  supposing  him  to  be 
in  sport,  and  still  hanging  on  outside  of  the  rail, 
did  not  trouble  themselves  about  him  at  first.  But 
when  live  minutes,  or  more,  had  gone  by,  and  he 
did  not  reappear,  they  began  to  feel  uneasy. 

And  when,  on  looking,  they  could  not  discover 
him,  they  gave  the  alarm,  and  pitched  overboard 
the  carpenter's  work-bench  and  a  hen-coop. 


VOYAGE   AROUND   THE    WORLD.  85 

The  mate,  when  he  heard  the  cry,  without  a  mo- 
ment's thought,  ordered  the  helm  to  be  put  hard-a- 
starboard,  and  sprang  to  the  boat  to  cast  off  her 
lashino's. 

At  this  moment  my  father  reached  the  deok. 
Seeing  in  what  jeopardy  the  spars  stood,  he  ordered 
the  helm  to  be  changed  at  once,  and  the  studding- 
sail  tack  let  go.  These  orders  were  promptly  obeyed, 
and  the  ship  saved  from  catching  aback. 

What  followed  has  already  been  told. 

m 

With  regard  to  the  contents  of  the  bucket,  my 
memory  has  failed  me.  I  have  a  dim  impression 
that  brandy  was  there,  but  I  will  not  say  that  it 
was  so. 

The  man  was  a  strange  one.  The  name  he  went 
by  was  evidently  not  his  own. 

There  were  various  reasons  assigned  for  his  rash 
act.  Some  thought  he  did  not  intend  to  get  clear 
overboard,  and  that  his  climbing  over  the  side  was 
a  sort  of  crazy  joke. 

But  the  greater  number  were  more  uncharitable, 
and  hinted  about  delirium    tremens. 

On  former  occasions  he  had  threatened  to  jump 
overboard. 

The  old  Spanish  navigators,  in  crossing  from  the 
old  world  to  the  new,  did  not  steer  directly  across 
the  ocean,  but  ran  south,  down  the  African  coast 
(cutting  the  Tropic  of  Cancer  just  to  the  westward 


.    86  REMINISCENCES    OF    A 

of  the  Cape  Verde  Islands),  until  they  reached 
about  the  fifteenth  parallel  of  latitude,  and  then, 
turning  to  the  west,  made  a  straight  course  across. 

In  this  latitude  the  trade  winds  blow  more 
directly  from  the  east,  and  the  water  is  stiller,  and 
the  skies  brighter.  The  ship  runs  day  after  day 
without  a  change  in  the  sails. 

Humboldt  compares  crossing  the  ocean  here,  to 
descending  a  smoothly  flowing  river,  and  considers 
there  is  less  danger  than  in  crossing  one  of  the  lakes 
of  Switzerland. 

The  Spaniards  called  it  El  Golfo  de  las  Damas, 
the  Ladies*  Gulf,  as  much  as  to  say  that  delicate 
and  sensitive  women  might  navigate  it  with  perfect 
freedom  from  sea-sickness. 

As  we  ran  on  to  the  south,  the  strength  of  the 
wind  gradually  lessened.  The  sea  fell,  till  the  mo- 
tion of  the  ship  was  hardly  perceptible. 

Universal  nature  has  been  termed  a  vast  book, 
from  which  all  in  sympathy  with  nature    can   read. 

The  page  open  to  us  then,  was  inscribed  with 
poetry — the  poetry  of  the  sea.  Whoso  loved  poesy 
■  and  read : 

•       *       '«  To  him  the  gushing  of  the  wave, 

Far,  far  away  did  seem  to  mourn  and  rave 

On  alien  shores  ;**•*• 

And  deep  asleep  he  seemed,  yet  all  awake, 

And  music  in  his  ears  his  beating  heart  did  make," 


VOYAGB   AROUND    THE    WORLD."  87 

Great  whales  swam  leisurely  by,  projecting  their 
spiral  columns  of  water  into  the  air,  and  occasion- 
ally displaying  their  vast  black  bulk  to  view.  The 
swift  dolphins  glided  in  our  wake.  We  caught  them, 
and  gazed  with  wonder  on  the  rainbow  colors  which 
they  assumed  in  the  agonies  of  death.  The  petrel 
twittered  about  the  stern.  Shoals  of  porpoises  frisked 
about  the  bow,  mocking  our  best  speed.  At  times, 
the  man-eating  shark  ominously  broke  water  on  the 
quarters.  We  caught  the  Portugese  man-of-war, 
and  burned  our  finders  in  our  ea^er  curiosity.  Clouds 
of  flying  fish  rose  before  our  advancing  ship,  like 
grasshoppers,  in  autumn,  before  the  pedestrian.  Far 
up,  the  tropic  bird  floated  in  the  blue  ether.  Day 
succeeded  night,  and  night  the  day,  and    always — 

"The  sun  came  up  upon  the  left, 
t  Out  of  the  sea  came  he, 

And  he  shone  bright,  and  on  the  right 
"Went  down  Into  the  sea." 


88  REMINISCENCES    OF    A 


CHAPTER    VIII. 


IN  THE  DOLDRUMS. CAPTURE  OF  A  SHARK. SHARKS. 

THE  SOUTHERN  HEMISPHERE. 


£,E    exchanged  the  delightful  navigation    of 


jjg)  the  trade  wind  region,  for  the  vexatious 
navigation  of  the  calm  belt  of  the  Equator,  the  dol- 
drums of  the  sailor.  It  was  a  poor  exchange,  but 
necessary. 

41  Day  after  day,  day  after  day, 
We  stuck,  nor  breath  nor  motion, 
As  idle  as  a  painted  ship 
Upon  a  painted  ocean." 

That  was  the  Ancient  Mariners  ship,  mind  you, 
that  stuck  in  such  a  melancholy  manner.  We  stuck 
often*  enough,  and  long  enough  at  a  time,  but  there 
was  some  life  and  motion — some  of  that  variety 
which  is  "  the  spice  of  life."  There  were  more  or 
less  squalls.  A  black  cloud  would  rise  in  some  part 
of  the  great  blue  dome  that  enclosed  us,  and  pre- 
cipitated itself  upon  the  ship  in  wind  and  rain. 

Generally,  though,  there  were  "several  rains  to 
one  wind,"  as  the  boys  say.      However,  there   was 


VOYAGE    AKOTTSD    THE    WORLD.  89 

always  enough  of  the  latter  to  make  it  necessary  to 
trim  sails,  a  task  that  could  hardly  be  executed  be- 
fore both  rain  and  wind  were  passed.  Out  would 
blaze  again  the  fierce  sun.  Wet  shirts  dried  speedily 
on  the  backs  of  the  wearers.  The  wet  on  the  decks 
rose  in  exhalations,  and  soon  the  pitch  in  the  seams, 
which  had  been  boiling  and  bubbling  before,  would 
boil  and  bubble  again. 

This  state  of  things  continued  several  days,  and 
a  history  of  one  day  is  a  history  of  all. 

To  the  discomfort  of  intense  heat,  was  added 
the  hardship  of  very  poor  water.  It  had  been  filled 
from  the  Kennebec,  and  was  none  too  good  at  the 
time  of  filling.  That  was  bad.  It  was  put  into 
casks  that  had  never  held  water  before.  That  was 
bad,  too.  Down  there  on  the  line  it  had  become 
ropy.  It  would  string  up  on  a  stick  like  molasses. 
When  one  took  it  raw,  it  was  necessary  to  hold  the 
nose  tightly  with  one  hand,  and  shut  the  eyes.  The 
sense  of  taste  was  still  left  to  come  in  contact  with 
it,  it  is  true,  but  thirst  would  overcome  the  disgust 
of  that. 

There  is  an  idea  prevalent  among  sea-faring 
people,  that  whistling  in  a  calm  will  bring  wind. 
Absurd  as  this  may  seem,  it  is  true.  If  the  whist- 
ling is  continued  long  enough,  the  wind  will  surely 
come.  We  whistled  zealously,  but  after  two  or  three 
days  it  got  to   be    rather    tiresome,  and    we    hailed 


90  REMINISCENCES    OF    A 

with  joy  the  advent  of  a  shark  that  swam  leisurely 
and  inquiringly  up  to  the  ship,  probably  with  the 
mistaken  notion  that  we  were  an  African  slaver,  and 
could  supply — would  be  happy  to  do  so — a  dinner 
of  smothered  negroes  to  an  itinerant  shark.  Besides 
the  usual  obsequious  pilot  fish,  there  was  a  train  of 
young  sharks  in  attendance. 

Something  was  soon  prepared  for  the  visitor,  but  it 
was  not  food.  The  third  mate  got  into  the  mizzen 
channels,  under  which  the  shark  was  lying,  and  pre- 
sented his  compliments  in  the  shape  of  a  harpoon, 
which  he  drove  half  way  through  the  unsuspicious 
fish.  And  then  there  occurred  before  the  eyes  of 
many  witnesses,  something  which,  I  see,  is  not 
credited  in  learned  descriptions  of  the  shark.  This 
was  a  female,  and  no  sooner  was  the  iron  fixed  in 
her  than,  as  if  apprehensive  of  harm  to  them,  she 
received  the  young  sharks  into  her   stomach. 

Nothing  gives  a  sailor  more  pleasure  than  to 
destroy  a  shark;  therefore  but  little  time  elapsed 
after  the  monster  had  been  struck,  before  a  bowline 
was  over  the  tail,  and  madame  shark  was  escorted 
to  the  port  gangway.  Here  all  hands  were  drawn 
up  to  do  her  honor  (or  spite),  and  her  passage  from 
the  water  to  the  deck,  was  attended  by  all  the 
tumult  that  three  score  tongues  could  make. 

Once  upon   the    deck,  madame    began   to    apply 
her  tail  to  it  in  a  way  that  shook  the  ship.     A  man 


VOYAGE  AROUND  THE  WORLD.  91 

thereupon  seized  an  axe,  and  sprang  forward  to 
sever  the  unruly  member — the  tail — from  the  body; 
bat  Dr.  Burleigh,  who  was  very  much  excited,  with- 
held him. 

"  On  the  head,"  said  he.  "  Hit  her  on  the  head. 
I  want  to  examine  this  tail,  and  see  how  so  much 
power  is   developed." 

So  the  head  received  what  was  designed  for  the 
tail,  and  under  a  torrent  of  blows  (each  one  accom- 
panied by  an  anathema),  the  shark  seemed  to  suc- 
cumb. The  Doctor  then  approached,  and  began  an 
examination  of  the  caudal  appendage,  remarking 
excitedly  and  learnedly  to  those  around  him  as  he 
proceeded : 

"Notice  how  this  tail  is  bent  up  here  at  an  ob- 
tuse angle  with  the  body.  And  see  this  tail  fin. 
How  distinct  its  divisions  into  three  parts  !  Nat- 
uralists call  them,  I  think,  the  superior,  apical,  and 
inferior  lobes.  But  look  at  this  part  of  the  tail 
again.  Feel  of  it.  Talk  of  human  brawn  and  sinew. 
"Why,  in  the  cartilaginous  bone  and  solid  flesh  ot 
this  shark,  there's  more  power  and  endurance  than — " 

Here  the  defunct  (supposed  to  be)  shark,  as  if 
to  give  an  illustration  of  the  truth  of  the  Doctor's 
remarks,  suddenly  struck  that  individual  a  blow  with 
her  tail,  as  he  leaned  over,  heaving  him  backwards 
into  the  arms  of  his  hearers,  with  his  stomach  col- 
lapsed, and  his  head  in  close  contact  with  his  knees. 


92  BEM1NISCENCES    OP    A 

And  then,  while  the  naturalist  had  no  breath  left 
with  which  to  offer  an  objection,  (if  he  still  had  the 
disposition,  which  may  be  doubted,)  the  assault  with 
the  axe  was  renewed,  and  the  tail  nearly  severed 
from  the  body  in  several  places.  j 

The  throat  was  then  cut,  and  the  stomach  open- 
ed. Out  of  this,  seven  young  sharks  were  taken, 
"  alive  and  well."  They  were  about  twenty  inches 
in  length,  and,  on  a  small  scale,  fine  models  of  their 
mother. 

The  axe  was  immediately  applied  to  them,  and 
they  were  each  thrown  overboard  in  two  pieces. 
And  then  the  old  shark,  beaten  on  the  head,  dis- 
embowelled, with  throat  cut,  and  tail  chopped  off, 
was  cast,  with  scoffs  and  revilings,  after  her  young. 
Life  ought  to  have  been  extinct  under  these  cir- 
cumstances, but  it  was  not.  No  sooner  had  the 
water  closed  over  her,  than  she  assumed  a  life-like 
position— the  pectoral  fins  beat  the  water  feebly,  and 
the  body  moved  languidly  away. 

I  think,  however,  despite  the  tenacity  of  life,  that 
there  was,  at  no  remote  time,  the  corpse  of  a  shark 
in  those  waters. 

I  have -some  hesitation  about  assigning  our  prize 
to  any  particular  branch  of  the  shark  family.  It 
resembled  in  color  the  blue  shark,  but  it  exceeded 
the  individuals  of  that  species  in  size,  and  the  tropics 
are  not  a  favorite  locality  of  the  blue  shark. 


VOYAGE    ABOUND    THE    WORLD.  93  ' 

The  animal  we  had  killed  was  upwards  of  twelve 
feet  in  length.  Its  snout  projected  beyond  its  mouth, 
which  was  capacious,  and  displayed  the  liberal  allow- 
ance of  triangular,  serrated  teeth,  which  has  fallen 
to  the  lot  of  sharks.  And  "  its  eyes  had  all  the 
seeming  of  a  demon's  that  is  dr — "  no,  not  dream- 
ing, but  wide  awake,  and  engaged  in  a  most  fiend- 
ish piece  of  cruelty.  There  is  something  absolutely 
diabolical  in  the  gaze  of  a  shark.  The  skin  was 
rough  as  a  grater,  and  hard.     Sharks  have  no  scales. 

The  white  shark  is  the  most  formidable  of  the 
species,  though  it  is  often  surpassed  in  size  by  the 
basking  shark,  a  specimen  of  which  kind,  it  will  be 
remembered,  was  captured  recently  near  Eastport, 
in  Maine. 

The  white  shark  attains  a  length  of  thirty  or 
thirty-five  feet.  Its  belly  and  sides  are  whitish,  and 
its  back  brown.  Its  head  is  large,  and  its  mouth 
enormous.  It  frequents  the  tropics,  swimming  near 
the  surface. 

The  story  goes  that  this  kind  of  shark  used  to 
attend  the  slave  ships  on  their  return  from  Africa 
with  cargoes  of  slaves.  Old  sailors  credit  it  with 
great  intelligence  in  the  matter,  and  say  it  fully 
comprehends  the  state  of  affairs  on  board. 

The  sperm  whale  is  the  only  inhabitant  of  the 
ocean  that  can  destroy  the  white  shark  in  a  fair 
combat.     The  whale,  not  being  properly  a  fish,  the 


94  REMINISCENCES    OF    A 

title  of  "  King  of  the  Fishes,"  may  be  said  to  belong 
rightfully  to  the  white  shark. 

The  swingle-tail,  or  fox  shark,  the  hammer- 
headed  shark,  and  the  saw-fish,  represent  the  un- 
couth and  remarkable  of  the  shark  family. 

I  would  like  to  tell  a  shark  story  here,  but  I 
realize  that  I  am  progressing  slowly  on  the  long 
road  I  propose  to  travel,  and  I  refrain. 

October  5th  we  fanned  across  the  equinoxial  line, 
and  entered  the  Southern  Hemisphere.  Here,  mid- 
way across  the  torrid  zone,  I  would  pause  a  moment 
to  remark  upon  its  characteristics.  It  is  here  that  a 
wanderer  from  the  far  North  is  most  sensible  of  a 
new  order  of  things.  Perpetual  summer  reigns.  To 
distant  lands,  grim  winter  w^ith  his  frost  and  snow, 
is  exiled  evermore.  The  North  wind  is  shorn  of  its 
sting.     The  Sun  is  King  supreme. 

But  more  strange  to  him  than  constant  summer, 
is  the  aspect  of  the  sky ;  for  in  his  own  land  there 
is  summer  once  a  year,  and  balmy  air,  and  glorious 
sunshine ;  but  his  eyes  raised  to  the  starry  vault 
behold  no  Southern  Cross,  no  Constellation  of  the 
Ship,  no  Magellanic  Clouds. 

Just  think  of  it — before  us  was  an  unknown  fir- 
mament, set  with  new  and  splendid  Constellations 
and  stars,  and  behind  us,  what  ?  A  lonesome  spec- 
tacle, a  northern  firmament  without  a  polar  star. 

Another  peculiarity,  to    us,  of  this   region,   was 


VOYAGE  AROUND  THE  WORLD.  95 

the  sudden  transition  from  light  to  darkness,  and 
from  darkness  to  light,  at  the  setting,  and  the  rising 
of  the  sun.  Here,  in  the  north,  the  sun,  as  it  were, 
comes  slowly  up.  We  see  first  a  faint  glow  of  light 
low  down  along  the  east.  Slowrly  it  widens  and 
brightens,  flushing  up  the  sky.  Dark  objects  change 
to  gray,  and  gray  to  white.  One  by  one  the  stars 
go  out;  and  at  length,  the  sun,  too  bright  for 
human  eyes  to  gaze  upon,  appears,  throwing  a  flood 
of  light  on  the  hill  tops  and  into  the  valleys. 

In  the  intertronical  region  it  is  not  so.  There 
the  sun  leaps  above  the  horizon,  and  the  change 
from  darkness  to  light  is  instantaneous  and  complete. 
No  crepuscular  light  intervenes,  as  here,  to  intro- 
duce the  divisions  of  time  to  each  other.  The 
change  from  light  to  darkness  is  equally  swift. 

"  The  sun's  rim  dips ;  the  stars  rush  out ; 
At  one  stride  conies  the  dark—" 

Particularly  was  this  the  case  when  we  reached 
the  fourteenth  parallel  of  south  latitude,  which  rep- 
resented the  sun's  southern  declination  at  that  time. 

At  noon  the  great  orb  was  exactly  overhead  and 
we  cast  no  shadows.  And  thereafter,  until  we  had 
doubled  on  our  course,  and  reached  the  torrid  zone 
again  in  the  Pacific,  the  sun's  path  lay  to  the  north 
of  us. 

There  is  a  rare  beauty  about  a  "  sunset  at  sea " 
in  the  tropics.      The    clouds,  absent    all    day,  then 


96  REMINISCENCES   OF   A 

gather  in  the  West,  sometimes  in  fleecy  fragments. 
They  catch  the  bright  rays,  flung  broadcast  from 
the  sinking  luminary,  and  present  them  again  to  the 
eye  in  gorgeous  colors,  or  in  those  soft  tints  and 
hues,  that  the  highest  human  genius  must  always 
fail  to  represent  on  canvass. 

Sunsets,  at  sea,  in  every  clime,  have  a  wide  rep- 
utation for  beauty.  Early  on  the  passage  my  atten- 
tion was  drawn  to  this  fact  by  hearing  the  passengers 
comment  upon  it. 

And  I  soon  learned  how  to  behold  three  sunsets 
at  the  close  of  one  day.  I  would  stand  on  deck 
until  the  sun  went  down  and  out  of  sight,  and  I  had 
beheld  the  spectacle  once,  then  I  would  spring  into 
the  rigging  and  go  rapidly  aloft.  Before  reaching 
the  topsail  yard,  my  elevation  would  be  sufficient  to 
make  the  sun  a^ain  visible  above  the  horizon.  As 
soon  as  it  had  set  a  second  time,  I  wonld  rapidly 
ascend  again  with  the  same  result  as  before.  This 
was  a  favorite  amusement  with  me  until  I  tired  of  it. 


VOYAGE  AROUND  THE  WORLD.         97 


CHAPTER   IX. 


FERNANDO    NORONHA. A    SUSPICIOUS    SAIL'. — RIO    JAN- 
EIRO. 

iCTOBER  27th,  two  days  after  crossing  the 
@2§)  line,  we  made  the  Island  of  Fernando  No- 
ronha.  We  saw  it  first  in  the  morning,  bearing 
west-south-west,  distant  twenty-five  miles.  I  sat 
upon  the  mizzen  topgallant  yard,  and  gazed  at  it  for 
hours.  Since  the  shores  of  Maine  disappeared,  we 
had  seen  no  other  land.  This  was  in  another  hem- 
isphere, and  in  the  torrid  zone.  Of  course  I  was 
very  happy,  sitting  aloft  and  beholding  Fernando 
Noronha,  as  we  glided  slowly  by  it.  A  wall  of 
white  foam  girdled  the  dark,  high  shore.  It  seemed 
noiseless  and  motionless,  but  I  knew  it  was  rolling 
and  dashing  with  a  noise  like  thunder;  so  far  off 
were  we  that  neither  motion  was  distinguishable, 
nor  noise  audible.  Though  the  wall  of  foam  ap- 
peared a  straight  unbroken  line  against  the  laud,  not 
so  the  land  against  the  sky.  The  tall  pyramid, 
which  renders  the  appearance  of  the  Island  remark- 
able, shot  up  like  the  spire  of  a  church. 

Voyage  Around  the  World.  ' 


08  REMINISCENCES   OP   A 

Fernando  Noronha  lies  about  200  miles  from  the 
coast  of  Brazil,  in  3°  55'  south  latitude.  It  is  seven 
miles  long,  and  three  broad. 

The  pyramid  is  about  1000  feet  in  height,  and 
composed  of  phonolitic  rocks,  severed,  in  many- 
places,  into  irregular  columns. 

Another  freak  of  nature,  also,  is  seen  on  this 
Island.  Its  south-west  point  is  pierced  through,  and 
the  aperture  has  received  the  name  of  the  "  Hole- 
in-the-Wall."  Through  it  the  sea  tumbles  mag- 
nificently. 

Fernando  Noronha  is  well  wooded.  The  soil  is 
generally  fertile  ;  but,  on  two  accounts,  not  much  is 
produced  from  it.  Frequent  and  long  droughts  is 
one  reason,  and  the  other  is  a  lack  of  energy  and 
enterprise  in  the  inhabitants. 

The  Brazilian  government  has  made  the  Island 
a  place  of  exile  for  the  vilest  criminals.  It  is  gar- 
risoned by  a  small  force,  and  has  been  fortified  to 
some  extent. 

In  most  accounts  of  this  Island  it  is  stated  that 
no  woman  is  allowed  to  set  her  foot  upon  it. 

If  this  were  true  we  might  fancy  that  old  bach- 
elors would  commit  crimes  in  order  to  be  banished 
thither.  But,  fortunately  for  all  its  people,  convicts 
and  keepers,  this  is  not  true.  Capt.  Lee,  of  the  U. 
S.  brig  Dolphin,  gives  the  following  list  of  popula- 
tion in  1852,  viz.,  103  officers  and  soldiers,  310  pris- 
oners, 289  other  persons,  men,  women,  and  children. 


VOYAGE  ABOUND  THE  WORLD.  99 

I  remember  that  I  had  resolved  to  sketch  all  the 
wonderful  lands  we  should  see.  It  was  a  most 
presumptious  resolution,  for  I  could  not  then,  can- 
not now,  and  never  can  sketch  any  more  than  a 
horse.  But  I  began,  and  sketched  Fernando  ]STo- 
ronha.  My  sketch  might  be  called  a  kind  of  a  fresco, 
for  I  lay  in  my  berth  and  used  the  pencil  on  the  wall. 

The  black  jilace  that  I  made  still  remained  when, 
at  the  end  of  the  voyage,  I  left  the  ship,  and  as  its 
value  would  hardly  justify  any  one  in  carrying  off 
the  board  it  was  on,  it  probably  there  remained  until, 
together  with  hull  and  cargo,  spars,  sails  and  rig- 
ging, it  was  buried  beneath  the  ocean  in  the  grave 
where  so  many  ships  lie. 

We  passed  Fernando  Noronha  with  a  light  wind 
from  the  south-east.  This  continued  two  or  three 
days,  during  which  we  ran  close  hauled  by  the  wind 
on  a  south-south-west  course. 

One  night  during  that  time,  I  was  aroused  by 
hearing  hoarse  voices,  shouting,  and  unintelligible 
words.  I  got  out  of  my  berth  very  expeditiously,  and  a 
few  steps  placed  me  in  position  to  make  observations. 
It  wTas  a  fine  starlight  night,  and  I  saw,  as  soon  as  I 
had  rubbed  my  eyes  open,  just  under  our  lee,  two 
towering  pyramids  of  canvass  rising  in  the  air.  The 
hull  from  which  they  rose  was  hardly  distinguishable, 
but  their  rake,  and  a  long  succession  of  jibs,  in  one 
direction,  indicated  that  the  stranger  was  sailing  in 


100  REMINISCENCES    OF    A 

the  same  direction  as  ourselves.  The  hailing  that 
had  aroused  me  was  still  going  on,  though  the  usual 
questions  had  been  asked  and  answered. 

"  How  many  passengers  did  you  say  you  had  ?" 
asked  the  voice  from  the  brig. 

The  number  was  given  a  second  time,  and  then 
followed  statements  of  longitude,  and  histories  of 
wind  and  weather. 

Notwithstanding  that  she  was  directly  under  our 
lee,  and  her  sails  somewhat  becalmed  by  ours,  the 
brig  drew  rapidly  ahead,  and  was  soon  hidden  from 
view  aft,  by  our  head  sails. 

"  What  brig  is  it?"  I  asked  of  one  of  the  watch. 

"  Blamed  if  I  could  understand  what  he  called 
her.  What  was  it,  Tom  V"  he  asked  of  another 
sailor. 

"  Don't  know."  And  the  question  passed  around, 
eliciting  from  all  the  men  the  same  reply,  accom- 
panied in  some  cases  by  the  information  that  the 
stranger  was  "  from  St.  Johns,  loaded  writh  codfish, 
and  bound  to  Pernambuco,  and  could  everlastingly 
sail. " 

So  I  ascended  to  the  poop  deck,  and  insinuated 
my  questions  there.  But  no  more  knowledge  was 
to  be  gained  there  than  on  the  main  deck.  I  then 
looked  into  the  binnacle,  and  seeing  that  it  was 
only  half  past  three,  a.  m.,  turned  in  again,  and  was 
soon  dreaming  of  a  nameless  brig  "  from  St.  Johns, 


VOYAGE  AKOUND  THE  WORLD.         101 

loaded  with  codfish,  and  bound  to  Pernambuco,  and 
that  could  everlastingly  sail." 

The  sun  was  shining  brightly  over  the  vast  ex- 
panse of  ocean,  when,  at  seven  bells,  I  stepped  on 
deck  asrain.  The  brio;  was  a  mile  or  two  ahead  and 
behaved  oddly,    everybody  said. 

It  was  odd  behavior.  She  would  sweep  up  to 
the  wind,  and  lie  with  sails  shaking  a  while,  and 
then,  having  gathered  way  again,  she  would  yaw 
broad  off,  and  run  before  the  wind  a  few  minutes. 
Her  aim  in  this  was,  evidently,  not  to  increase  her 
distance  from  us. 

At  ten  she  wore  short  round  on  her  heel,  and 
stood  back,  heading  just  to  leeward  of  us. 

Then  I  began  to  hear  the  word  pirate  used 
pretty  freely.  The  popular  description  of  a  piratical 
craft  applied  to  her  exactly.  She  was  long,  low  in 
the  water,  and  her  black  paint  was  relieved  only  by 
a  narrow  yellow  stripe.  Her  masts  were  long  and 
raked  a  great  deal,  and  her  sails  were  large  and 
many. 

I  soon  found  out,  (for  my  own  fears  were  ex- 
cited, and  I  put  a  great  many  questions),  there  were 
two  classes  that  snid  jnrate.  One  class  really  thought 
the  stranger  to  be  a  freebooter;  the  other  class  did 
not  think  so,  but  pretended  to,  and  said  and  did  all 
they  could  to  create  a  panic.  The  mate  was  one  of 
the  latter  class. .  His  state  room  was  at  the  side  of 


102  REMINISCENCES     OF     A 

one  of  the  entrances  to  the  cabin  from  the  main 
deck.  Pretty  soon  those  passing  in  and  out,  saw 
through  the  door  of  the  room,  purposely  left  open, 
his  sword  and  pistols  lying  on  the  table.  This  fact 
was  soon  noised  abroad,  and  was  considered  ter- 
ribly ominous. 

Another  of  this  class,  an  old  sailor,  who  was 
a  kind  of  oracle  to  many  of  the  passengers,  bor- 
rowed a  spyglass  of  the  officers,  and  ascended  with 
it  to  the  foretopsail  yard.  From  thence  he  made  a 
long  and  close  scrutiny  of  the  brig,  now  under  our 
lee  again,  about  a  quarter  of  a  mile  off. 

When  he  came  down  he  was  immediately  sur- 
rounded by  anxious  passengers.  His  countenance 
was  portentous. 

"Load  your  rifles  and  pistols,"  he  said,  nodding 
his  head  significantly,  "  and  get  ready  to  die  like 
men.     It'll  come  to  that,  or    walking  a  plank." 

"What  did  you  see?"  gasped  several. 

"  Codfish  be  biowed — "  he  said,  looking  absently 
into  the  air,  and  then  turning  to  the  questioners,  he 
answered  : 

"  Why,  the  hatches  are  all  open,  and  I  saw  them, 
and  the  gangways,  full  of  heads  with  red  caps  on. 
And,"  pointing  his  finger  toward  the  brig,**'  do  you 
see  that  whitish  bunch  just  aft  the  foremast?" 

I  could  see  nothing,  but  others  seemed  to  have 
better  eyes,  for  there  was  a  chorus  of  "  Yes,  yes ! " 


VOYAGE    AROUND    THE    WORLD.  103 

"  Well,  I  saw  the  top  of  that  bunch  lifted,  and 
if  there  ain't  a  long  brass  thirty-two  pounder  under 
there,  call  me  a  swab,  that's  all." 

Saying  this,  he  turned  away,  leaving  his  hearers 
in  rather  an  uncomfortable  frame  of  mind. 

When  the  brig  was  off  our  lee  quarter,  our  colors 
were  hoisted.  None  were  shown  in  return.  I  looked 
at  her  frequently  with  the  glass.  Her  decks  were 
flush,  but  I  saw  nothing  unusual  on  them.  Besides 
the  man  at  the  wheel,  there  were  a  few  others 
sauntering  about  the  deck.     That  was  all. 

As  the  brig  increased  her  distance  from  us,  the 

CD  p  J 

terrified  ones  began  to  breathe   more    freely.       One 
even  said,  in  a  joking  way,  to  the   oracular  sailor: 

"  Well,  your  pirate  seems  to  be  taking  himself 
off,  after  all." 

The  man  answered  with  terrible  positiveness, 
and  deliberation : 

"Mark  my  words.  In  ten  minutes  that  fellow 
will  be  round  in  our  wake,  and  then  if  he  don't 
open  with  long  Tom,  and  make  toothpicks  of  us, 
just  get  ready  to  repel  boarders,  that's  all." 

In  two  minutes  from  that  time  the  brig  tacked, 
and  came  on  with  her  head  straight  for  us. 

A  great  many  loaded  their  firearms.  On  one 
poor  fellow,  insane  with  fear,  the  sailors  tied,  with 
a  rope  yarn,  an  old  rusty  cutlass,  and  put  on  his 
head  a  canvass  draw-bucket,  adorned  with  a  rooster's 


104  REMINISCENCES    OF    A 

tail  feathers.     Thus  accoutred   he  ran  about  the  deck 
in  a  perfect  frenzy. 

But  the  terrible  brig,  as  she  neared  us,  hugged 
the  wind  closer  and  closer,  and  passed  a  mile,  or 
more,  to  windward.  When  the  sun  went  down  she 
was  hull  down  on  our  weather  bow. 

The  forecastle  oracle,  however,  insisted  that  she 
would  be  down  upon  us  again  in  the  night,  and, 
through  his  representations,  many  were  robbed  of 
their  sleep.  But  when  morning  came  the  suspicious 
craft  was  nowhere  to  be  seen. 

It  must  be  conceded  that  the  manoeuvres  of  this 
vessel  were  mysterious,  if  not  suspicious.  During 
the  day  it  was  the  opinion  of  our  officers  that  Capt. 
John  Bull  (the  brig  had  claimed  to  be  English)  had 
uncorked  some  very  strong  ale  that  morning,  and 
was  giving  "  the  blasted  Yankee  a  specimen  of  Brit- 
ish sailing,  you  know."  But  her  final  disappearance, 
on  a  wind,  when  her  port  lay  to  leeward,  combined 
with  all  the  rest,  inclined  them  to  think  her  an  out' 
ward  bound  slaver,  in  want  of  provisions.  Probably 
our  large  number  of  passengers  prevented  our  being 
boarded  and  plundered. 

Nov.  6,  at  noon,  we  made  the  lofty  promontory 
of  Cape  Frio,  bearing  west,  distant  forty-five  miles 
During  the  afternoon,  the  wind  was   light,  and   we 
made  but  little  headway.     Towards  night,  however, 


VOYAGE  AROUND  THE  WORLD.        105 

it  freshened,  and  the  ship,  bending  gracefully  to  it, 
dashed  along  with  great  swiftness. 

Just  before  sunset  an  object  was  discovered  shore- 
ward of  us,  rising  and  falling  on  the  waves.  It 
seemed  to  be  a  small  sail,  but  what  it  was  spread 
upon  we  could  not  imagine.  As  the  course  of  the 
ship  was  almost  directly  towards  it,  and  the  wind 
fresh,  we  soon  had  it  close  aboard. 

It  was  a  queer  craft.  The  hull  consisted  of  logs 
fastened  together.  The  single  mast  raised  near  what 
was  then  the  bow,  and  crossed  at  the  top  by  a  yard 
from  which  the  dingy  sail  hung  like  a  ship's  fore- 
sail. There  appeared  to  be  a  raised  seat  at  the 
other  end  that  accommodated  the  crew  of  two  men. 
The  swiftly  coming  darkness  did  not  permit  us  to 
note  many  particulars,  but  we  saw  enough  to  know 
that  this  was  a  jangada,  or  catamaran,  a  kind  of 
craft  used  by  the  Brazilians  in  fishing  and  coasting. 

These  catamarans  are  generally  composed  of  from 
eight  to  twelve  trunks  of  the  buoyant,  jangada  tree, 
rudely  secured  by  wooden  cross-fastenings.  The 
more  common  sail  is  a  triangular,  fore  and  aft  one. 
We  should  not  wish  to  navigate  our  coasts  with 
such  contrivances,  but  it  is  a  different  thinsc  along 
the  Brazilian  shore. 

There  the  winds  are  as  constant  as  the  sun,  at 
night,  and  in  the  morning,  blowing  off  shore,  and 
during  the  day  blowing  on  shore.     These  are  called 


106  REMINISCENCES    •*"    A 

land  and  sea  breezes.  They  are  caused  by  the  sun's 
heat  by  day,  and  the  absence  of  that  heat  at  night 
The  earth  is  sooner  heated  by  the  sun's  rays  than 
the  water,  and  the  rarified  air  ascends.  The  cooler 
air  from  the  ocean,  rushing  shoreward  to  fill  the 
vacuum,  makes  the  sea  breeze. 

The  earth  cools  more  rapidly  than  the  water,  in 
the  absence  of  the  sun's  rays,  and  consequently  at 
night  and  in  the  morning  there  is  a  passage  of  air 
from  the  land  to  the  water.  This  makes  the  land 
breeze. 

When  the  sun  rose  the  following  morning,  we 
were  becalmed  off  the  entrance  to  the  Bay  of  Rio 
Janeiro.  The  ship  was  all  alive.  Expectation  stood 
upon  tiptoe.  Here,  a  group  of  passengers  stood 
gazing  upon  the  lofty  brown  summits  of  the  moun- 
tains, and  discussing  their  appearance  in  cheerful 
and  animated  tones — there,  others  were  blacking 
their  boots  and  brushing  their  coats  preparatory  to 
examining  more  closely  this  novel  and  majestic  land. 

Forward  the  crew  were  hooking  up  the  chain 
cables  from  their  lockers,  overhauling  ranges,  and 
casting  loose  the  anchors.  Aft  the  boys  were  scour- 
ing up  the  brass  ornaments,  and  rubbing  the  tarnish 
from  the  white  paint. 

Vessels  were  all  around,  inside  and  outside, 
wherever  the  land  breeze  had  failed  them. 


VOYAGE  AROUND  THE  WORLD.         107 

Ever  and  anon,  over  the  sparkling  expanse  of 
water,  that  stretched  away  inland,  came  the  hoarse 
boom  of  cannon.  It  was  a  time  of  joyous  excite- 
ment until  the  wind  came;  a  time  of  eager  antici- 
pation, yet  of  high  enjoyment. 

About  noon  a  movement  in  the  air  was  percep- 
tible. The  light  sails  began  to  flutter;  the  smooth 
surface  of  the  water  stirred,  and  the  sea  breeze  was 
setting  in. 

Hardly  fifteen  minutes  had  elapsed,  after  the  first 
faint  breath,  before  we  were  gliding  quickly  along 
with  every  sail  fairly  filled  and  distended  by  the 
breeze. 

I  gazed  in  admiration  and  awe.  On  the  left  was 
the  Pao  d'Ossucar,  the  Sugar  Loaf,  which  forms 
the  west  side  of  the  entrance  to  the  bay,  and  is  a 
certain  and  unmistakable  landmark. 

My  eyes  took  in,  at  once,  its  perfectly  conical 
sides,  so  steep  and  smooth,  and  beyond  it  a  range 
of  fantastic  hills,  receding  one  behind  another  until 
lost  in  the  distance.  On  the  right  hand  were  less 
lofty  hills,  clad  with  tropical  vegetation.  We  could 
distinguish  the  broad  leaf  of  the  banana  and  the 
feathery  foliage  of  the  palm. 

The  first  fortification  we  passed  was  the  Castle 
of  Santa  Cruz,  situated  at  the  eastern  extremity  of 
the  entrance.  Between  this  and.  Ilha  da  Lage  op- 
posite, the  passage  is  only  about  5,000  feet  in  widtlu 


108  REMINISCENCES    OP    A 

The   castle    was  a  vast    and   massive    structure 
Great    cannons    stared    at   us    over   the    front   wall, 
and  from  a  tall  staff  above  them  streamed  the  Bra- 
zilian flag. 

A  sentinel  paced  the  battlements,  wheeling  in 
his  rounds  right  above  the  seething  foam,  that  froth- 
ed and  frittered  on  the  rocks  below,  for  the  castle 
wall  rose,  as  it  were,  sharply  up  from  the  edge  of 
the  sea.  We  passed  within  a  stone's  throw  of  it. 
The  sentinel  hailed  in  bad   English: 

"What  sheep  is  dat?" 

"The  Hampton." 

"Vare  well.     Where  you  come  from?" 

"Bath,  U.  S.  A." 

"Vare  well.     Where  }rou  go?" 

"  San  Francisco." 

"  Vare  well.     I  tank  you,  sare." 

This  last  was  said  with  a  wave  of  the  hand,  as 
if  to  say — "  Pass,  ship  Hampton." 

And  now  the  whole  magnificent  Bay  of  Rio  Jan- 
eiro opened  before  us.  With  many  a  gradual  curve, 
and  many  a  sharp  angle,  the  right  hand  shore  swept 
away  to  the  north.  On  the  left,  battery  alter  bat- 
tery watched  defiantly  the  incoming  and  outgoing 
ships. 

Beyond  lay  the  city,  at  the  feet  of  the  mountains, 
its  streets  wandering  in  the  valleys,  and  its  churches 


VOYAGE  AROUND  THE  WORLD.        1C9 

and  convents  crowning  the  summits  of  the  hills. 
The  sharp,  high  peaks  of  the  Organ  Mountains,  a 
fitting  background  to  so  fine  a  picture,  closed  the 
view  in  that  direction.  Off  from  the  city  was  the 
anchorage  crowded  with  ships,  the  men-of-war  by 
themselves  in  one  place,  the  merchantmen  by  them- 
selves in  another.     At  4  p.  m.  we  anchored. 


110 


REMINISCENCES    OF    A 


CIIAPTEU    X. 


AT    RIO    JANEIRO. 

O  sooner  had  the  ship  swung  to  her  anchor, 
^g>  than  a  number  of  boats  approached  within 
speaking  distance,  and  their  occupants,  lying  on 
their  oars,  entered  into  conversation  with  us.  They 
were  ship-chandlers,  and  offered  to  furnish  for  the 
ship  whatever  was  required. 

The  truth  of  the  old  saying,  "Two  of  a  trade 
can  never  agree,"  was  here  exemplified,  as  strongly 
as  ever  it  was  in  the  northern  hemisphere.  The 
rival  merchants  designated  each  other  by  the  most 
opprobrious  epithets,  and  bandied  Avords  in  a  man- 
ner not  surpassed  by  the  ancient  dames  of  any  fish- 
market  in  the  world.  They  were  generally  Eng- 
lishmen. 

In  the  midst  of  the  parley  a  man-of-war's  boat, 
rowed  by  eight  men,  steered  by  a  coxswain,  com- 
manded by  a  midshipman,  and  flying  the  stars  and 
stripes,  pulled  up,  and  lay  on  our  starboard  quar- 
ter.     The   midshipman   hailed  in  very  polite  tones> 


VOYAGE   AROUND    THE    WORLD.  Ill 

beginning  with  the  question,  "What  ship  is  that?" 
and  ending  with,  "  Have  you  seen  any  ships  of  the 
squadron." 

We  had  not  seen  any. 

To  a  question  from  us,  he  replied  that  he  be- 
longed to  the  frigate  "  Brandywine,"  flag-ship  of  the 
United  States  squadron  on  the  Brazilian  station. 
This  fine  frigate  was  easily  distinguished,  lying 
among  the  armed  ships  of  many  nations,  in  the 
direction  of  the  Island  of  Cobras. 

As  the  boat  sped  away,  the  eight  oars  dipping 
with  the  exactness  of  machinery,  it  was  followed  by 
very  envious  looks  from  me,  directed  chiefly  at  the 
youthful  oflicer,  whose  gold  lace  and  dignified  oc- 
cupation fascinated  me. 

In  due  time  the  port  formalities  were  over,  and 
boats  were  permitted  to  come  alongside,  and  we 
were  at  liberty  to  go  on  shore.  Then  a  ship-chandler 
was  engaged  to  supply  the  ship. 

I  believe  the  applicant  who  received  the  most 
abuse  from  his  fellows  was  the  one  favored  with 
our  custom.  This  was  done,  I  suppose,  on  the  prin- 
ciple that  "  the  devil  is  never  so  black  as  he  is 
painted." 

This  man  entered  upon  his  duties  by  immediately 
bringing  off  to  the  ship,  as  a  present  (he  said),  several 
bushels  of  oranges  and  bananas. 

That  night   it    fell    to    my   lot   to   stand   anchor 


112  KEMINISCENCES    OF    A 

watch  from  eight  to  ten.  I  passed  the  two  hours 
in  a  very  agreeable  manner,  eating  oranges,  and 
listening  to  the  music  of  the  bands  on  board  the 
men-of-war. 

It  seems  to  me  that  the  most  unappreciative  na- 
ture would  have  enjoyed  that  evening,  even  without 
the   oranges. 

The  air  was  delicious.  The  starry  host  were 
making  their  finest  display.  The  surface  of  the 
water  was  like  a  mirror — like  it,  in  that  it  was  smooth 
as  glass,  and  in  that  it  reflected  all  the  overhang- 
ing stars. 

The  lights  of  the  city,  beginning  high  up  among 
the  dark  hills,  swept  down  to  the  water's  edge,  and 
seemed  to  be  continued  on  in  the  lights  of  the 
shipping 

Beyond,  the  dark  outlines  of  the  mountains  were 
dimly  visible,  in  seeming,  a  mighty  rampart,  brist- 
ling with  towers,  and  guarding  the  city  to  the  west. 

In  the  opposite  directions,  across  the  bay,  fewer 
and  less  distinct,  the  lights  of  Praia  Grande  and 
San  Domingo  were  visible. 

While  the  sense  of  sight  was  thus  addressed,  the 
hearing  was  ravished  by  the  strains  of  music  that 
came,  purified  by  their  passage,  over  the  interven- 
ing water. 

I  landed  two  or  three  times  each  day,  but  was 
generally  left  in  charge  of  the  boat,  and  my  chances 


VOYAGE    ABOUND    THE    WORLD.  113 

for  observation  were  very  limited.  But  one  day  I 
was  relieved  from  tins  duty,  and  it  was  with  great 
joy  that  I  turned  my  back  upon  the  landing,  and 
set  forward  to  "  see  what  I  should  see." 

A  little  way  from  the  shore  I  lingered  at  the 
threshold  of  a  large  building,  inside  of  which,  in 
full  view,  scores  of  naval  officers,  English,  American, 
French,  Spanish,  and  Brazilian,  all  gorgeous  in  bul- 
lion, lace,  and  glittering  trappings,  were  smoking, 
chatting,  and  playing  billiards. 

At  every  onward  step  some  novelty  greeted 
my  senses. 

Troops  of  stalwart  negroes,  with  sacks  of  coffee 
on  their  heads,  trotted  in  Indian  file  along  the  streets,* 
shouting,  singing,  and  shaking  rattles  as  they  went. 

I  heard  no  intelligible  sound  from  any  source. 

My  eyes  rested  wonderingly  on  the  white  stone 
walls,  and  red  tiled  roofs  of  the  buildings.  And  the 
style  of  architecture  was  new  and  strange.  But 
what  drew  admiration  as  well  as  wonder  from  me 
was  beholding  the  marvelous  fountains.  They  abound 
in  the  city.  Many  that  I  saw  were  designed  mainly 
as  monuments  are  with  us ;  a  square  base  support- 
ing a  shaft.  From  the  four  sides  of  this  base  poured 
streams  of  sparkling  water,  that  fell  into  reservoirs, 
from  which  it  was  dipped  and  drank,  or  conveyed 
away,  as  required.  The  faces  of  the  base  were 
tastefully  sculptured,  and    there    was  a  style    about 

Voyage  Around  the  Wo  rid.  " 


114  KEMIXISCEKCES    OF    A 

the  shafts    that    seemed    Arabesque,  and   there   are 
reasons  why  it  might  have  been  so. 

At  these  reservoirs  multitudes  of  blacks  of  both 
sexes  were  filling,  amid  shouts  of  laughter  and  the 
shrillest  ejaculations,  vessels  with  water,  and  con- 
veying them  away  upon  their  heads. 

At  length  I  reached  the  market,  and  not  Aladin 
when  he  surveyed  the  treasures  of  that  subterranean 
treasure  house,  was  more  amazed  than  I.  on  this 
occasion. 

Parrots  displayed  their  gay  plumage  and  uttered 
their  harsh  screams.  Hosts  of  diminutive  monkeys 
gyrated  and  chattered.  Over  a  vast  space  boquets 
of  fresh  and  beautiful  flowers  filled  the  air  with  fra- 
grance. Green  vegetables  and  bright  yellow  fruits 
were  mingled  in  a  pleasing  contrast.  Portly  ne- 
gresses,  turbaned  and  dignified,  waited  upon  the 
thronging  customers.  Oranges,  bananas,  cocoa  nuts, 
plantains,  pine  apples,  and  fruits  of  which  I  had 
never  heard  or  dreamed,  mangoes,  mammoons,  raan- 
gabas,  goyabus,  and  all  the  long  list  of  tropical 
fruits,  were  heaped  in  profusion  around. 

But  what  images  are  these  that  association  is 
evoking  from  the  dark  recesses  of  memory's 
store-house  ? 

I  seem  to  see  among  this  motley  throng  a  group 
with  graceful  forms  and  fair  faces.  By  fair,  I  mean 
beautiful,  not  blond.     These  are  intensely  brunette, 


VOYAGE    AROUND    THE    WORLD.  115 

another  style  of  beauty.  Indeed,  the  blood  in  the 
cheeks,  as  seen  through  the  transparent  skin,  has  a 
tinge  that  is  faintly  duskish.  But  the  rich  lips  have 
caught  their  tint  from  the  red  rose  bud — such  lips 
as  are  sweetest  in  a  caress,  and  from  which  you 
are  most  unwilling  to  part. 

The  eyes  are  intensely  black,  liquid  fountains 
having  Lethean  power,  so  that  whoever  looks  into 
their  depths  forgets  much  that  men  ought  always 
to  remember. 

I  welcome  back  from  a  period  of  forgetfulness 
these  returning  images,  and  present  them  now  as 
characteristic  types  of  the  females  of  that  race 
and  clime. 

Under  the  influence  of  some  pleasing  excitement, 
these  were  animated,  vivacious,  sparkling,  voluble 
of  sweet,  rippling  sounds. 

But  when  excitement  is  wanting,  all  this  animation 
is  said  to  be  wanting  also,  and  languor  and  repose, 
are  most  characteristic. 

A  combination  of  these  charms  I  have  enumer- 
ated, with  permanent  energy  of  character,  and  vivac- 
ity, sometimes  springs  from  a  union,  under  temperate 
skies,  of  this  race  with  the  stirring  Anglo-Saxon. 

And  this  combination  makes  a  very,  very  charm- 
ing individual. 

The  writer  knows  whereof  he  writes. 

One  day  of  our  stay  in  Rio  was  Sunday.     Early 


116  REMINISCEXCJES    OF    A 

in  the  morning,  having  donned  our  best  clothes,  my 
brother,  a  cousin,  and  myself  went  on  shore  for  an 
extended  stroll  about  the  city. 

We  did  not  waste  any  time  in  viewing  again 
what  we  had  already  seen,  but,  passing  rapidly  into 
the  Palace  Square,  we  turned  to  the  left,  moving 
more  slowly  when  the  familiar  localities  were  left 
behind. 

For  some  time  our  view  was  limited,  but,  as  we 
went  forward,  suddenly,  and  without  any  intimation 
of  what  was  coming,  there  was  opened  to  us  a  wide 
and  magnificent  prospect. 

Right  before  us  lay  the  Passeio  Publico,  the  pub- 
lic promenade  of  the  eapitol  of  Brazil,  with  its  beau- 
tiful, but  strange,  trees,  shrubs,  and  flowers.  Here 
nature,  prolific  beyond  description,  had  been  aided 
by  the  cultivated  taste  of  man,  and  money  in  pro- 
fusion. 

On  the  right,  the  hill  of  Santa  Theresa  showed 
a  brow  wreathed  with  green  tropic  trees,  and  a  base 
girdled  with  white  cottages.  Beyond  the  Passeio 
Publico,  distant  summits  of  mountains  were  visible, 
and  the  crowns  of  nearer  hills,  and  the  towers  of 
public  clifices,  and,  hore  and  there,  stretches  of 
water,  silvery  in  the  morning  calm. 

One  side  of  the  Passeio  Publico  comes  down  to 
the  shore,  and  at  this  point  there  is  a  wide  terrace. 
Here  you  walk  on  pavements  of  variegated  marble, 


VOYAGE   AROUND   THE   WORLD.  117 

and  at  the  extremities    of  the    terrace,  stand  little 
airy,  elegant  chapels,  or  shrines. 

We  pressed  forward  to  this  terrace,  and,  stand- 
ing within  an  angle  of  it,  hushed  our  talk  and  gazed. 

Across  the  water  we  beheld  the  picturesque 
shores  about  Jurujaba  Bay.  Through  the  entrance 
to  the  harbor  we  looked  upon  the  ocean  beyond, 
and  saw,  for  a  small  space,  the  sky  and  water  meet- 
ing. To  the  south,  the  towering  Sugar  Loaf  chal- 
lenged our  admiration. 

In  the  same  direction,  but  close  at  hand,  the 
green  summit  of  Gloria  Hill  rose  behind  the  tall 
tower  of  Gloria  Church. 

Sights  so  grand  and  so  novel  had  one  effect  upon 
us,  if  we  were  untutored.     Our  tongues    were    still. 

We  were  soon  in  motion  again,  going  this  time 
in  a  direction  that  led  away  from  the  shore,  and 
back  towards  the  suburbs  of  the  city.  We  saw  in 
many  gardens,  the  orange  tree  with  its  green  leaves, 
white  flowers,  and  yellow  fruit.  It  was  strange  to 
ns  to  see  flower  and  fruit  on  the  same  bough.  Tiny 
humming  birds  darted  about,  gay  enough  in  their 
golden  and  green  feathers. 

The  air  was  fragrant  with  the  perfume  of  the 
rose,  the  myrtle,  and  the  citron. 

•  As  we  went  we  had  frequent  glimpses  of  the  tall 
palms,  that  in  many  places  grew  on  the  sides  and 
the  summits  of  the  hills. 


118  REMINISCENCES    OF    A 

At  length  we  issued  from  the  city.  We  had 
passed  a  church,  into  which  people  were  going,  and 
my  companions  wished  to  return  and  enter  that.  I 
did  not  care  to  accompany  them,  so  we  separated, 
and  I  walked  on.  I  soon  got  tired  of  this,  and  sat 
down  in  the  shade  at  the  base  of  a  great  cliff. 
Over  the  face  of  the  cliff  there  was  a  yellowish 
skin  of  moss,  or  lichen.  The  same  was  on  the  stones 
among  which  I  sat,  at  its  base.  Sitting  there,  and 
looking  out  upon  the  heated  landscape,  I  grew  des- 
perately sick  at  heart. 

Oh,  for  power  to  inhale  the  balsamic  odors  of 
the  pine  and  fir  !  Oh,  for  a  power  to  look  upon  the 
yellow  buttercups  and  red  clover,  and  the  green 
fields  where  they  bloom  ! 

By  and  by  a  slight  scratching  sound  attracted 
my  attention,  and  brought  me  back  from  an  imagin- 
ary journey  a  long  way  North.  For  a  time  I  could 
see  nothing,  nor  could  I  fix  the  direction  of  the 
sound ;  but  at  length,  looking  steadily  at  an  angle 
of  the  cliff,  I  saw  a  number  of  little  diamond  shaped 
heads  thrust  out,  and  in  each  head  was  a  very  bril- 
liant pair  of  black,  bead-like  eyes,  that  scanned  me 
very  earnestly.  I  sat  perfectly  motionless,  and  soon 
the  heads  were  followed  by  legs,  bodies,  and  tails, 
until  half  a  dozen,  or  more  little  lizards  were  re- 
vealed. 


VOYAGE    AKOTJXD    THE   WOELD.'  119 

If  I  made  the  slightest  motion,  they  at  once  dis- 
appeared, their  claws  rattling  and  scratching  in  the 
dry,  husky  moss.  But  they  soon  returned,  and 
seemed  desirous  of  making  a  closer  acquaintance. 
No  doubt  we  should  have  become  very  intimate  if 
time  had  permitted,  but  I  remembered  that  the  boat 
would  land  for  us  at  noon,  and  I  bade  ray  sprightly 
friends  good-bye,  and  left  them,  I  thought,  in  a  very 
regretful  mood. 

At  the  landing  I  found  my  companions,  and  we 
were  soon  on  board. 

Going  into  the  cabin  I  saw  that  it  was  decorated 
with  bunting,  and  that  its  inmates  were  unusuallv 
animated.  Dinner  was  over,  but  some  still  sat  at 
the  table,  and  among  them  a  fine  looking,  white 
haired  old  gentleman,  to  whom  the  captain,  when 
he  had  beckoned  us  to  him,  introduced  us,  saying: 

"My  boys,  Gov.  Kent." 

Gov.  Kent,  Ex-Governor  of  Maine,  was  the  Amer- 
ican Consul  at  Rio  during  the  Taylor-Fillmore  ad- 
ministration.  Many  of  the  passengers  were  his  old 
political  friends  and  supporters.  It  was  the  day  of 
their  triumph,  cmd,  all  things  considered,  they  both 
wished  and  thought  it  their  duty  to  dine  him — and 
they  had  dined  him. 

I  have  endeavored  to  present,  in  the  favorable 
light  in  which  they  appeared  to  me,  all  things  that 
I  saw  in  and  around  this  tropical  city. 


120  REMINISCENCES    OF    A 

But,  I  remember  that  a  day  or  two  before  our 
departure,  I  experienced  a  disagreeable  sensation  in 
one  of  my  great  toes,  and,  after  some  ado  about  it, 
there  was  found  inside  of  the  skin,  on  the  under- 
neath part  of  the  toe,  a  chigoe  that  was  about  to 
set  up  housekeeping,  and  raise  a  family. 

A  chigoe  is  a  kind  of  a  flea,  that,  in  the  tropics, 
gets  under  the  skin  and  produces  other  chigoes  with 
remarkable  rapidity. 

I  have  been  telling  about  the  beauties  of  the 
tropics.  The  affair  of  the  chigoe  suggests  that  there 
are  also  annoyances  there.  Now  learn  about  these 
annoyances. 

Sidney  Smith  says  : 

"The  bete  rouge  lays  the  foundation  of  a  tre- 
mendous ulcer.  In  a  moment  you  are  covered  with 
ticks.  Chigoes  bury  themselves  in  your  flesh  and 
hatch  a  colonv  of  youn^  chigoes  in  a  few  hours. 
They  will  not  Lve  together,  but  every  chigoe  sets 
up  a  separate  ulcer,  and  has  his  own  private  portion 
of  pus.  Flies  get  entry  into  your  mouth,  into  your 
eyes,  into  your  nose;  you  eat  flies,  drink  flies,  and 
breathe  flies.  Lizards,  cockroaches,  and  snakes  get 
into  the  bed  ;  ants  eat  up  the  books;  scorpions  sting 
you  on  the  foot.  Everything  bites,  stings  or  bruises. 
Every  second  of  your  existence  you  are  wounded 
by  some  piece  of  animal  life  that  nobody  has  ever 
seen  before,  except  Swammerdam  and  Meriam.     An 


VOYAGE    AROUND    THE   WORLD.  121 

insect  with  eleven  legs  is  swimming  in  your  teacup, 
and  a  nondescript  of  nine  wings  is  struggling  in  the 
small  beer,  or  a  caterpillar,  with  several  dozen  eyes 
in  his  belly,  is  hastening  over  the  bread  and  butter. 
All  nature  is  alive,  and  seems  to  be  gathering  her 
entomological  hosts  to  eat  yon  up,  as  yon  are  stand- 
ing, ont  of  vour  coat,  waistcoat,  and  breeches.  Such 
are  the  tropics." 


122  '  EEMINISCENCES   OP    A 


CHAPTER    XL 


THE    EMPIRE    OF   BEAZTL. — DEPAETUEE  FROM   EIO. 

HAVE  read  somewhere  of  a  Jesuit  in  South 
America,  who  was  desirous  of  observing  the 
habits  of  the  chigoe,  and  who,  for  this  purpose, 
allowed  them  to  effect  a  lodgement  in  one  of  his 
feet,  and  extend  their  operations  there,  without  let 
or  hindrance. 

The  desired  knowledge  of  the  insect's  habits  was 
gained,  but  the  foot  was  lost. 

Such  devotion  to  science  is  rare,  and  happily  so. 

After  the  little  family  in  my  toe  had  been  broken 
up,  I  was  careful  not  to  strip  off  my  shoes  and 
stockings  and  wade  on  the  beach,  as  I  had  pre- 
viously done,  when  left  to  take  care  of  the  boat  at 
the  landing. 

I  do  not  wish  to  leave  so  interesting  a  country 
as  Brazil  without  furnishing  some  information  con- 
cerning it,  besides  the  very  little  derived  from  per- 
sonal observation.  I  shall,  therefore,  mostly  fill  up 
this  chapter  with  such  facts  and  figures  on  the  sub- 
ject as  are  least  frequently  met  in  print. 


VOYAGE    AROUND    THE    WOKLD.  123 

When  we  think  of  the  vast  territorial  extent,  the 
splendid  climate,  the  inexhaustible  magazines  of  gold 
and  precious  stones,  the  valuable  staples,  the  noble 
rivers,  and  fine  harbors  of  Brazil — when  we  think 
of  all  this,  and  remember,  that  to  Spain,  powerful, 
jealous,  avaricious,  and  greedy  of  empire,  belonged 
the  honor  of  its  discovery,  we  wonder  how  Portu- 
gal,  comparatively  weak,  though  equally  greedy  of 
territory,  ever  obtained  a  title  to  it. 

The  claim  of  original  discovery  is  put  forward, 
but  that  is  false. 

The  discovery  of  a  part  of  this  continent  by 
Spain,  was,  really  and  actually,  a  discovery  of  it 
all,  from  Cape  Horn  to  the  frozen  ocean  on  the  north. 

But  beside  this  general,  there  was  also  a  special 
discovery. 

Pinzon,  one  of  the  companions  of  Columbus,  dis- 
covered Brazil,  in  the  vicinity  of  Cape  St.  Augustine, 
in  January,  1500,  and  took  possession  of  it  for  Spain, 
three  months  before  its  accidental  discovery  by  Ca- 
bral,  the  Portugese  navigator. 

Its  possession  by  Portugal  really  seems  to  have 
been  the  result  of  good  nature  and  ignorance,  on 
the  part  of  Spain,  and  perseverance  on  the  part  of 
her  neighbor.  » 

The  Portugese  had  already  made  some  discover- 
ies to  the  south.  These  discoveries,  the  Pope,  by 
the  issuing    of  a   Papal   bull,   had   conferred   upon 


"SI 


124  REMINISCENCES    OF    A 

Portugal,    and    also   all  lands   that   might   be    dis 
covered  within  certain  limits  in  that  direction. 

After  the  return  of  Columbus  from  his  first  voy- 
age, Ferdinand  desired  the  Pope  to  confer  upon 
Spain,  in  a  similar  manner,  the  land  that  Columbus 
had  discovered,  and  all  that  he  might  discover  in 
the  western  seas. 

It  was  cheerfully  done. 

His  Holiness  also  defined  a  line  which  should  be 
a  boundary  line  between  the  field  of  Portugal,  and 
the  field  of  Spain.  It  was  an  imaginary  straight  line 
drawn  from  the  North  Pole  to  the  South  Pole,  100 
leagues  to  the  west  of  the  Azores  and  Cape  de 
Verde  Islands.  All  to  the  west  {and  south  also,  if 
any  one  can  tell  where  that  is,)  of  this  line  per- 
tained to  Spain. 

This  arrangement  did  not  suit  the  Portugese 
King,  and  he  did  not  cease  to  agitate  the  matter, 
until,  through  the  good  nature  of  Spain,  displayed 
in  the  Treaty  of  Tordesillas,  in  1494,  the  Papal  line 
of  demarkation  was  removed  to  370  leagues  west  of 
the  Cape  de  Verde  Islands. 

It  was  in  this  way  that  Spain  yielded  to  Portu- 
gal the  title  to  a  greater  part  of  the  territory  now 
embraced  in  Brazil,  if  ^Portugese  should  discover  it. 
And  they  did  contrive  to  maintain  Cabral's  claim, 
although  it  was  false. 


VOYAGE    AROU.ND    THE    WORLD.  125 

And  now  in  regard  to  the  part  ignorance  dis- 
played in  the  transaction. 

Had  Spain  suspected  the  richness  of  Brazil,  in 
metals  and  gems,  it  never  would  have  permitted  the 
flag  of  Portugal  to  wave   there. 

But  it  was  suspected  by  neither  of  the  two 
countries,  and,  while  one  spoiled  Mexico  and  Peru, 
and  the  other  reaped  golden  harvests  in  the  East 
Indies,  Brazil  had  no  repute,  and  was  neglected. 

It  was  not  until  toward  the  middle  of  the 
eighteenth  century  that  the  mineral  resources  of  the 
country  were  properly  appreciated. 

The  total  area  of  Brazil  is  estimated  at  2,760,000 
square  miles. 

This  is  more  than  two-thirds  the  whole  extent 
of  Europe,  and  exceeds  the  whole  territory  of  the 
United  States.  It  lies  on  both  sides  of  the  line,  ex- 
tending on  the  south  into  the  temperate  zone. 

Probably  no  country  in  the  world  produces  so 
great  a  variety  of  animal  and  vegetable  life. 

I  will  dispose  of  this  part  of  the  subject  by 
quoting  a  paragraph  from  Lieut.  Herndon.  He  says 
of  Brazil  on  the  Amazon : 

"  This  is  the  country  of  rice,  of  sarsaparilla,  of 
india  rubber,  balsam  copaiba,  gum  copal,  animal  and 
vegetable  wax,  cocoa,  Brazilian  nutmegs,  Tonka  beans, 
ginger,  black  pepper,  arrowroot,  tapioca,  annatto,  in- 
digo,  sapacaia,  and  Brazil  nuts,  dyes  of  the  gayest 


126  REMINISCENCES    OF   A 

colors,  drugs  of  rare  virtue,  variegated  cabinet  woods 
of  the  finest  grain,  and  susceptible  of  the  highest 
polish. 

"  The  forests  are  filled  with  game,  and  the  rivers 
stocked  with  turtle  and  fish.  Here  dwell  the  anta, 
or  the  wild  cow,  the  peixe  boi,  or  fish  ox,  the  sloth, 
the  ant-eater,  the  beautiful  black  tiger,  the  mysterious 
electric  eel,  the  boa-constrictor,  the  anaconda,  the 
deadly  coral  snake,  the  voracious  alligator,  monkeys 
in  endless  variety,  birds  of  the  most  brilliant  plu- 
mage, and  insects  of  the  strangest  forms  and  gay- 
est colors." — Lieut.  Herndoii's  JReport,  x>a0e  ^69. 

Cotton  and  tobacco  are  native  plants.  Some 
suppose  the  sugar  cane  to  have  been  indigenous, 
also,  while  others  trace  it,  or  pretend  to  trace  it, 
back  to  the  old  world. 

The  coffee  tree  is  not  a  native.  The  first  one 
that  took  root  in  Brazilian  soil,  was  planted  at  Rio 
Janeiro,  in  1754. 

There  is  displayed  in  the  arms  of  the  Empire, 
branches  adorned  with  leaves  and  flowers.  These, 
I  was  told,  represented  branches  of  the  coffee  tree, 
and  this  fact  is  significant. 

And  as  the  arms  of  the  Empire  are  emblazoned 
upon  its  flag,  the  green  leaves  and  snowy  flowers 
of  the  coffee  tree    are  seen  wherever  the  flag    flies. 

Well  may  the  Brazilians  do  honor  to  the  coffee 
plant,  for  it  is  a  source  of  incalculable  wealth  to 
the  nation. 


VOYAGE  AROUND  THE  WORLD.         12*7 

Brazil  produces  gold,  diamonds,  the  ruby,  the 
opal,  the  topaz,  and  the  sapphire— produces  them 
in  abundance.  But  the  search  for  them  has  not 
generally  been  skilfully  conducted,  nor  have  the  con- 
veniences for  mining  been  sufficient  to  produce 
great  results. 

Therefore  when  the  net  gains  of  the  nation  from 
precious  metals  and  precious  stones,  are  compared 
with  its  net  gains  from  even  its  coffee  crop  alone, 
the  comparison  is  all  in  favor  of  agriculture. 

And  this  would  still  be  the  case,  were  the  great- 
est skill,  and  the  most  perfect  apparatus,  and  the 
greatest  amount  of  labor,  applied  to  the  discovery 
and  collection  of  gold  and  diamonds.  Agricultural 
products  are.  of  all  products,  and  everywhere,  the 
greatest  sources  of  wealth. 

From  the  Sugar  Loaf,  at  the  entrance  of  the 
bay,  to  the  anchorage,  is  about  four  miles.  The 
bay  here  is  two  miles  wide.  From  the  city  to  the 
head  of  the  bay  is  fourteen  miles,  or  eighteen  from 
the  entrance.  The  greatest  width  at  any  point  is 
twelve  miles.  It  is  one  of  the  best,  and  most  secure 
harbors  in  the  world,  as  well  as  one  of  the  most 
beautiful  and  most  easy  of  access.  The  armed  ships 
of  all  the  great  maritime  powers  are  always  to  be 
found  here.  Great  quantities  of  powder  are  burnt 
in  saluting.  There  was  a  roar  of  cannon  nearly  all 
the  time. 


128  REMINISCENCES    OF    A 

The  Palace  of  San  Christovao,  the  residence  of 
the  Emperor,  has  a  very  beautiful  and  romantic 
location,  a  few  miles  to  the  west  of  the  city. 

The  supply  of  water,  which  is  abundant  and  of 
an  excellent  quality,  comes  by  an  aqueduct  from 
Corcovado,  "  the  broken  backed,"  a  mountain  three 
or  four  miles  to  the  south-west. 

We  lay  only  a  little  distance  from  the  Island 
and  Fortress  of  Villegagnon.  You  will  probably 
know,  or  guess,  that  that  is  a  French  name.  The 
man  whose  name  it  bears  was  Nicholas  Durand  de 
Villegagnon.  Fidelity  in  this  man  would  have  given 
Brazil  to  Frenchmen  and  Protestantism.  His  treach- 
ery gave  it  to  Portugal  and    Romanism. 

An  addition  of  one  was  made  to  our  ship's  com- 
pany at  Rio.  The  self-destruction  of  the  old  steward 
had  caused  a  vacancy  in  the  culinary  department, 
and  this  additional  man  was  shipped  to  fill  it.  Be- 
ing especially  a  cook,  however,  he  was  stationed  in 
the  galley,  and  not  the  pantry.  Though  a  negro, 
and  rather  a  black  one,  his  personal  appearance  was 
quite  prepossessing.  He  was  small  in  stature,  finely 
proportioned,  and  bore  always  a  very  pleasing  ex- 
pression upon  his  countenance.  According  to  his 
story,  his  home  was  in  Baltimore.  He  had  come 
from  that  city  to  Rio  in  a  barque.  I  do  not  remem- 
ber why  he  left  her.  He  was  rather  destitute,  and 
before  entering  upon    his    duties,  desired  a  month's 


TOTAGE  AROUND  THE  WOULD.        129 

advance  pay,  and  liberty  to  go  on  shore  and  make 
some  purchases.  To  provide  against  desertion  on 
his  part,  my  brother  was  sent  with  him. 

They  proceeded  to  a    ship  » chandler's,    and   the 

new  cook  made  purchases  as  follows : 

Item,  A  glass  of  gin. 

"  A  bar  of  soap. 

"  A  glass  of  gin. 

•'  Half  a  dozen  needles. 

"  A  glass  of  gin. 

"  Half  a  pound  of  linen  thread. 

"  A  glass  of  gin. 

At  this  stage  of  the  proceedings  my  brother  in- 
terfered in  such  a  decided  manner,  that  gin  was 
omitted  until  the  purchases  were  all  made.  Then 
the  worthy  African  remarked  that  in  Baltimore, 
where  he  was  brought  up,  when  a  man  had  bought 
a  bill  of  goods  of  a  merchant,  the  merchant  gen- 
erally treated.     The  hint  was  sufficient. 

So  much  cause  (five  glasses),  could  not  help  pro- 
ducing some  effect.  The  effect  was  in  direct  pro- 
portion, it  being  six  hours  of  boisterous  drunkenness, 
and  seventy-two  hours  of  consequent  sickness. 

Nov.  16th,  in  the  morning,  we  hove  the  anchor 
up,  and  departed  from  Rio.  It  was  a  regulation  of 
the  port  that  all  foreign  vessels  going  out  should 
set  their  ensigns  at  the  fore,  and  give  a  password 
to  the  guard  at  the  Castle  of  Santa  Oruz.      A  day 

Voyage  Aronnd  the  World.  ^ 


130  REMINISCENCES   OF    A 

or  two  before,  an  English  brig,  in  starting,  hoisted 
her  colors  as  usual  at  the  main  peak. 

She  had  not  fanned  along  far  with  the  light 
breeze,  before  bang,  went  a  gun  from  Villegagnon. 
ISTo  notice  was  taken  of  it.  Two  more  were  fired 
with  the  same  effect,  or,  rather,  want  of  effect. 
Probably  the  disposition  to  fire  a  shot  was  not 
wanting  in  the  fortress,  but  it  was  not  gratified,  for 
some  reason  or  other.  After  the  third  discharge, 
a  boat  pulled  off  and  boarded  the  brig,  and  her  flag 
was  then  transferred  to  the  foremast  head. 

We  were  able  to  both  comply  with,  and  to 
violate  the  regulation.  We  had  two  ensigns.  One 
was  displayed  at  the  fore,  and  the  other  took  its 
accustomed  place  at  the  spanker  gaff. 

The  password  given  us  was,  when  translated  into 
English,  "  The  Brazilians  are  brave." 

By  the  way,  the  opinion  then  generally  enter- 
tained by  foreigners  was  that  the  Brazilians  were 
not  brave.  They  must  modify  that  opinion  now,  for 
they  certainly  are  proving  themselves  brave  in  their 
sanguinary  war  with  Paraguay. 

Our  password  was  written  out  upon  a  piece  of 
paper,  and  when  we  were  abreast  the  Castle,  the 
captain  roared  it  out  through  his  trumpet,  giving  it 
such  accents  as  suited  his  fancy.  The  guard  allowed 
it  was  all  right,  and  waved  us  along. 

Our  demeanor  and  language  had  been   very   re- 


VOYAGE  AROUND  THE  WOULD.         131 


Cf 

a 


Spectful,  both  when  going  in  by,  and  when  comin 
out  by  the  Castle  of  Santa  Cruz.  The  power  of 
the  garrison  to  resent  an  insult  was  very  apparent; 
and  men  in  that  condition  often  feel  insulted  when 
they  would  not  otherwise. 

But  "  familiarity  breeds  contempt."  Veteran 
shipmasters  in  the  Rio  trade  have  a  great  contempt 
for  all  these  customs. 

Ten  years  after  our  departure  from  the  harbor 
of  Rio,  my  brother  entered  it  again  as  mate  of  a 
barque.  In  passing  Santa  Cruz,  he  said,  the  same 
soldier  (for  anything  he  knew  to  the  contrary),  using 
the  same  words,  and  having  the  same  execrable 
accent,  hailed — 

"What  sheep  is  that?" 

"  Go  to  the  devil,"  replied  the  captain. 

My  brother  was  astonished  and  alarmed.  But 
the  soldier  was   unruffled. 

"  Vare  well,"  said  he.     "Where  you  from?" 

"  And  shake  yourself,"  answered  the  captain,  con- 
tinuing his  inelegant  quotation. 

"Vare  well.     Where  you  bound?" 

"  You  blackguard,"  responded  the  captain  in 
conclusion. 

"Vare  well,"  (polite  wave  of  the  hand,)  "I  tank 
you,  sar." 

The  soldier  was  repeating,  parrot  fashion,  what 
he  had  been  taught.     He  did  not  understand  a  single 


132  KEMIN1SCENCES     OF     A 

word  of  English,  and  of  this  the  captain  was  well 
aware. 

I  said  that  when  my  father  had  given  the  pass- 
word, the  sentinel  on  the  rampart  admitted  its  cor- 
rectness, and  waved  us  along. 

But  the  wind  failing  just  then,  we  were  quite 
unable  to  comply.  Sea  after  sea  threw  us  in,  until 
I  could  have  tossed  a  stone  into  the  grinning  muz- 
zles of  the  guns.  It  seemed  as  if  we  must  anchor, 
or  go  ashore.  But  it  did  not  come  to  that.  There 
was  a  powerful  undertow  that  impelled  us  off  as 
much  as  the  sea  urged  us  on. 

At  length  an  air  of  wind  came  to  our  relief. 
The  sails  left  off  threshing  the  masts,  and  swelling 
out,  steadied  the  ship  and  urged  her  forward. 

The  Castle  receded ;  the  wide  muzzles  of  the 
guns  grew  more  and  more  diminutive,  and  finally 
disappeared. 

The  land  was  like  a  dark  cloud  when  night  closed 
around  us,  and  out  of  the  darkness  it  came  never 
again  to  greet  our  eyes. 


VOYAGE  AROUND  THE  WORLD.         133 


CHAPTER    XII 


TROPICAL    BIRDS    AND    FISHES THE    "DOCTOR." 

10  JANEIRO  lies  in  22°  54'  south  latitude, 
@  and  a  few  hours  sail  carries  us  beyond  the 
tropic  of  Capricorn. 

Before  leaving  the  torrid  zone  behind  entirely, 
I  will  hastily  describe  some  of  the  birds  and  fishes 
that  we  encountered  in  crossing  it. 

Some  of  these  are  peculiar  to  the  region,  while 
others  are  confined  to  no  particular  locality. 

The  whale  is  an  inhabitant  of  nearly  all  parts 
of  all  seas. 

It  is  not  necessary  that  I  should  take  time  to 
describe  an  animal  so  often,  and  so  minutely  de- 
scribed ;  but,  inasmuch  as  I  asked  the  young  peo- 
ple in  a  former  chapter,  whether  the  whale  was  a 
fish,  or  not,  I  will  say  a  few  words  in  that 
direction. 

The  whale  is  not  properly  a  fish.  It  breathes 
pure  air.  A  fish  breathes  air  only  as  it  exists  in 
water.  The  whale  is  warm-blooded.  A  fish  is  cold- 
blooded.    The  whale   brings   forth   its   young  alive 


134  REMINISCENCES    OF     A 

and  suckles  them  with  true  milk.  It  is  classed  by 
naturalists  with  mammals,  and  considered  such  as 
much  as  the  horse  or  the  elephant. 

The  tropic  bird  is,  as  its  name  would  imply, 
peculiar  to  that  region.  In  size  it  is  somewhat 
larger  than  the  common  pigeon.  Its  color  is  white, 
variegated  by  occasional  black  places  upon  the 
back,  and  upon  the  ends  of  the  larger  feathers  of 
the  wings.  Its  bill,  legs  and  feet  are  red,  the  lat- 
ter exceedingly  so. 

The  most  striking  thing  about  it,  however,  is  its 
tail,  which  consists  of  two  very  long,  straight,  and 
narrow  feathers,  just  alike  in  all  respects. 

When  it  poised  itself  far  up  overhead,  as  it  often 
did,  it  was  not  altogether  unlike  a  musical  note 
written  on  the  blue  skv. 

The  booby,  which  is  encountered  here,  and  for 
some  distance  beyond  the  tropics  in  each  direction, 
is  in  some  respects  a  most  remarkable  bird.  Its 
invincible  stupidity  gained  for  it  its  undesirable 
name.  No  "fresh  salt"  to  throw  on  the  tail  is 
necessary  to  effect  its  capture.  Whether  you 
meet  it  on  the  rocks  on  land,  or  climb  to  it  on  tho 
spars  of  a  ship  at  sea,  it  is  not  alarmed  at  your 
approach,  and  you  may  kick  it  in  the  one  case,  and 
cuff  it  in  the  other,  but  all  in  vain  to  drive  it.  It 
will  stand  its   grounds    while    life   and  strength  re- 


VOYAGE   AROTTNT>   THE   WORLD.  135 

main.  This  peculiarity  of  the  booby  conduces  to 
the  benefit  of  man.  It  is  a  law  of  nature,  or  a 
provision  of  Providence  in  nature  that  there, 
(whether  it  is  comprehensible  or  incomprehensible 
to  him,)  "all  things  shall  work  together  for  good" 
to  man. 

Men,  compelled  by  cruel  circumstances  to  navi- 
gate the  wide  ocean  in  frail  boats,  and  destitute  of 
water  and  provisions,  have  been  saved  from  death, 
or  from  au  alternative  worse  than  death — eating 
each  other — by  this  wonderful  tameness  of  the 
booby.  Lieutenant  Bligh  and  his  companions,  set 
adrift  in  mid  ocean  by  the  mutineers  of  the  Bounty, 
say  that  when  they  were  in  a  most  deplorable 
state,  they  caught  some  boobies  that  flew  very  near 
to  them.  These  they  killed  and  gave  their  blood 
to  those  who  were  most  distressed  for  want  of  food, 
while  the  bodies  with  the  entrails,  beak  and  feet, 
they  divided  among  the  others. 

This  occurred  more  than  once ;  and  said  Lieu- 
tenant Bligh,  "  Providence  seemed  to  be  relieving 
our  wants  in  an  extraordinary  manner." 

This  case  of  the  Lieutenant  and  his  companions 
has  often  been  paralleled  in  the  records  of  the  sea, 
and  more  than  naralleled. 

The  color  of  the  booby  is  a  dull  brown.  In 
length  it  is  about  two  and  a  half  feet.      Its   bill  is 


136  EEMINISCENCES    OF    A 


long  and  sharp  at  the    extremity,   and  large   where 
it  is  joined  to  the  head. 

I  remember  very  distinctly  the  first  booby  I  saw. 
The  sun  had  gone  down  and  it  was  growing  dusk- 
ish  when  some  one  discovered  a  dark  object  aloft 
on  one  of  the  spars.  The  mate,  who  was  on  deck, 
at  once  declared  it  to  be  a  booby,  and  sent  one  of 
the  boys  aloft  to  catch  it.  There  was  a  short 
struggle  when  the  boy  reached  it,  and  seized  it  by 
the  legs.  The  booby  protested  by  voice,  and  by 
deed  against  capture,  but  was  obliged  to  yield  to 
superior  force.  As  an  evidence  of  his  unwillingness 
to  be  taken,  however,  he  inflicted  two  or  three  se- 
vere wounds  upon  the  boy's  hands.  But  at  no  time 
did  it  manifest  a  disposition  to  fly  away. 

The  ship's  company  generally  paid  their  respects 
to  it,  and  then  it  was  thrown  into  the  air.  Instead 
of  flying  away  as  one  would  suppose,  it  alighted 
again  aloft,  where  it  was  permitted  to  spend  the 
night  in  peace. 

Unlike  human  boobies,  who  do  not  display  much 
ability  in  any  direction,  this  feathered  booby  is  an 
industrious  and  dexterous  fisherman,  and  always 
contrives  to  provide  well  for  himself  and   family. 

The  frigate  bird,  a  large  black-looking  bird, 
with  a  forked  tail  and  an  immense  spread  of  wings, 
is  generally  found  in  the  haunts  of  the  booby. 


VOYAGE    AROUND    THE    WORLD.  1^7 

They  are  called  frigate  birds,  because  like  men- 
of  war,  they  spread  a  broad  clue  and  are  very 
swift  in  flight.  The  resemblence  ends"  there,  how- 
ever, for  the  acts  of  the  frigate  bird  are  altogether 
unjustifiable.  He  victimizes  the  poor  booby.  He 
lies  in  wait  for  him  when  he  is  returning  from 
his  fishing  excursions,  and  falls  aboard  of  him,  and 
bumps  him  and  thumps  him  with  his  wings,  and 
pecks  him  with  his  bill,  until  he  disgorges  his  hard- 
earned  dinner,  which  the  frigate  bird,  quitting  him, 
catches  in  its  descent. 

Whether  the  booby  disgorges  voluntarily  to  save 
a  whole  skin,  or  whether  it  is  an  involuntary  act 
resulting  from  the  shocks  he  receives,  wre  shall  never 
know  certainly  until  our  means  of  communicating 
with  animals  is  improved. 

Is  not  this  play  of  frigate  bird  and  booby  often 
enacted  by  men  in  communities  ? 

The  stormy  petrel,  or  mother  Cary's  chicken, 
to  which  I  have  already  alluded  as  an  object  of 
superstition  to  the  sailor,  is  not  peculiar  to  any 
region,  but  a  true  cosmopolitan.  These  birds  are 
in  size  between  a  sparrow  and  a  robin.  In  their 
flights  they  resemble  martins.  Their  backs  are 
brown,  bellies  white,  tails  short  and  forked,  and 
wings  long  and  pointed. 

Their  beaks  bend  suddenly  at  the  tips,  making 
a  short,  sharp  hook. 


138  REMINISCENCES    OF    A 

They  keep  at  sea  generally,  but  nevertheless  go 
to  land   sometimes. 

They  frequent  one  of  the  Western  Islands.  The 
people  kill  great  numbers  of  them  for  their  oil.  So 
very  fat  are  they  that,  it  it  said,  the  Islanders  just 
draw  a  wick  through  their  bodies,  and  it  becomes 
so  saturated  with  liquid  fat  as  to  form  a  lamp  with- 
out anything  else.  The  same  thing  is  said  to  be 
done  at  Faroe  Islands,  away  up  between  t  Scotland 
and  Ireland.  These  little  birds  fly  about  ships,  com- 
ing fearlessly  close  aboard.  Their  object  is  the  one 
great  object  of  all  living  creatures,  viz:  to  procure 
food.  Much  is  thrown  overboard  from  a  ship  each 
day  that  they  can  appropriate  in  that  way, 

They  seem  to  enjoy  a  gale  of  wind,  and  clam- 
ber around  among  the  waves  in  a  way  that,  indi- 
cates great  happiness.  Sometimes  they  enter  a 
wave  and  are  hid  from  view  for  a  little  while. 

It  is  very  natural  to  pass  from  a  consideration 
of  birds  to  a  consideration  of  fishes  by  the  way  of 
the  flying-fish,  which  partakes  of  the  nature  of 
both. 

The  flying-fish  and  the  flying-squirrel  are  anom- 
alies in  nature. 

They  might  serve  as  steps  to  let  us  down  to 
mermen  and  mermaid  ens  in  the  water,  and  Count 
Castlenau's  men  with  tails  on  the  land,  if  ever  it 
should    prove    that    there    were   such    creatures.     I 


VOYAGE     AROUND    THE    WORLD.  139 

suppose  these  chimeras  seem  no  more  impossible  to 
us  than  winged-fish  and  flying-squirrels  have  seemed, 
and  do  seem  to  many  minds.  Such  incredulity  is 
amusingly  expressed  in  Cooper's  Pathfinder,  where 
the  mariner,  Cap.  with  his  fiymg-jlsh,  and  the 
Pathfinder  with  his  dying-squirrel,  more  than  suspect 
each  other  of  wholesale  deception. 

The  flying-fish,  is  shaped  much  like  other  fish, 
and  is  in  length,  all  the  way  from  five  to  twenty 
inches.  It  has  a  blue  and  mottled  back  like  the 
mackerel,  and  a  white  belly.  The  membranaceous 
pectoral  fins,  the  wings  of  the  flying-fish,  are  about 
half  the  length  of  the  body.  They  are  attached  to 
the  shoulders  of  the  fish  by  uncommonly  strong 
muscles.  The  flisrlit  of  this  fish  is  several  hundred 
feet.  There  is  a  difference  of  opinion  among"  nat- 
uralists as  to  whether  these  pectoral  fins  are  used 
as  parachutes  or  wings. 

When  cooked,  the  flying-fish  is  very  attractive 
food. 

The  motive  of  this  fish  in  flving  through  the 
air,  is  not  always  the  same.  Sometimes  it  is  to 
escape  from  other  fishes  that  prey  upon  them,  and 
sometimes  it  must  certainly  be  for  the  enjoyment 
of  the  thing. 

One  sight  awakens  peculiar  emotion.  It  is  to 
see  the  flying-fish  and  the  mother  Cary's  chicken 
exchanging  elements.     The  fish  rising  and  cleaving 


140  REMINISCENCES    OP    A 

the  air,  and  the  bird  disappearing  in  the  slanting 
side  of  a  wave  like  a  swallow  entering  his  hole  in 
a  bank. 

Flying-fish  frequently  fly  on  board  of  vessels, 
not  purposely,  but  accidentally,  in  their  endeavors 
to  escape  from  the  jaws  of  some  pursuing  enemy. 
They  have  many  enemies,  and  it  was  no  rare  thing 
to  witness  their  pursuit  and  destruction  by  the  co- 
ryphene,  (commonly  called  the  dolphin,)  and  the 
albacore. 

A  variety  of  the  flying-fish  is  said  to  be  found 
sometimes  in  the  Mediterranean  with  four  wings  be- 
hind the  gills,  instead  of  two.  Their  bodies  are  of 
a  bright  violet  color.     They  are  seen  but  rarely. 

The  coryphene  is  more  widely  known  as  the 
dolphin,  while  the  true  dolphin  is  called  a  por- 
poise. 

The  head  of  the  coryphene  is  short  and  like 
that  of  the  cat-fish,  without  the  cat-fish's  malig- 
nant expression ;  the  body  is  deep  and  thin.  The 
dorsal  fin  extends  from  the  back  of  the  head  to 
the  tail.  The  tail  is  prodigiously  forked.  These 
fish  vary  in  length  from  two  to  five  feet.  They 
display  a  variety  of  colors;  on  the  back  and  sides 
a  bluish  green  with  reflections  of  azure  and  gold, 
and  beneath  that  a  yellow  with  bright  blue  tints. 
Their   fins  are  also  brilliantly  colored. 

They  are  always  seen  in   the  tropics,  swimming 


VOYAGE  AROtND  THE  WORLD.         141 

in  company  with  vessels.  They  are  frequently  ta- 
ken, sometimes  upon  a  hook,  and  sometimes  with 
the  grains. 

The  flesh  of  the  coryphene  is  generally  eaten, 
though  it  has  sometimes  been  found  poisonous. 

A  test  of  its  wholesomeness  is  to  put  a  piece  of 
silver  with  it  when  it  is  cooked ;  if  the  silver  is  not 
tarnished  it  is  all  right. 

The  true  dolphin  and  the  porpoise  differ  but 
little.  The  dolphin's  jaws  are  lengthened  out  into 
a  long  beak,  not  unlike  that  of  a  bird.  The  dol- 
phin keeps  in  blue  water;  the  porpoise  is  more  a 
shoal  water  animal. 

Both  belong  to  the  order  of  cataceous  mammals 
as  well  as  the  whale,  and  are  therefore  not  prop- 
erly fishes. 

But  all  this  is  rather  irrelevant,  and  with  a  few 
more  words  I  will  change  the  subject.  To  have  a 
just  conception  of  these  birds,  and  fishes — particu- 
lar^ the  fishes — one  must  see  them  living  and  mov- 
ing  in  their  native  elements.  Death  robs  them  of 
many  of  their  peculiar  attractions. 

Xo  method  of  preservation,  however  excellent, 
unless  life  is  involved  in  it,  can  preserve  in  these 
fishes  that  brilliancy  of  color  that  varies  with  every 
emotion.  And  could  life  be  preserved,  there  would 
still  be  something  wanting.  Like  gems  that  require 
the  proper  setting  to    bring    out    all  their  beauties, 


142  REMINISCENCES    OP    A 

the  coryphene,  the  labacore  and  the  bonito,  require 
to  be  set  in  a  blue  sea  and  under  a  vertical  sun, 
to  bring  out  all  their  beauties. 

And  it  is  also  very  hard  for  any  one,  without 
seeing  it,  to  get  a  just  conception  of  that  deep 
water,  near  the  surface  of  which  these  fishes  swim. 

In  a  calm,  one  can  look  far  down  into  its  bine 
depths.  It  seems  filled  with  light.  Under  the 
counters  of  the  ship  the  little  rudder  fish  dart  in 
and  out.  Coryphenes,  sometimes  singly,  sometimes 
in  pairs,  and  sometimes  half  a  dozen  together,  swim 
slowly  into  view.  Their  deliberate  motions  show 
you,  one  by  one,  all  the  colors  of  the  rainbow. 
Alarm  them,  and  their  quicker  motions  blend  all 
those  colors  into  one.  Tne  eye  beholds,  as  it  were, 
continuous  explosions  of  brilliant  colors  under  the 
surface  of  the  water. 

Such  exhibitions,  constantly  occurring,  break  the 
monotony  of  long  sea  voyages,  and  render  what 
might  otherwise  be  tiresome,  interesting  and  in- 
structive. 

Our  black  cook,  when  sober,  we  found,  was  not 
at  all  the  same  man  that  he  was  when  drunk.  Un- 
der the  first  influences  of  five  glasses  of  gin  his 
volubility  was  amazing.  When  sober  he  hardly 
ever  spoke  except  to  answer  a  question. 

Then,  though  very  respectful  in  his  tone,  he  used 
monosyllables  only,    unless   more    words  were  abso- 


VOYAGE    ABOUND    THE    WORLD.  143 

lutely  necessary.  He  was  also  very  neat  and  very 
industrious.  He  had  the  habits  of  the  bee,  but  did 
not  hum  and  buzz  like  that  model  insect. 

I  have  introduced  this  colored  individual,  not 
because  color  is  the  fashion  now-a-days,  but  because 
where  others  were  faithless,    he    alone  was  faithful. 

His  feet  hardly  left  the  deck  from  the  time  he 
"brought  the  five  glasses  of  gin  over  the  rail  at  Rio, 
until  at  Battery  Wharf  in  Boston,  he  placed  upon 
the  table  the  last  dinner  we  ate  on  Board.  His 
only  failing  was  a  desire  to  illustrate  the  old  say- 
ing, "when  rum  (gin  in  this  case)  is  in,  wit  is  out;" 
hut  opportunities  for  doing  this  did  not  often  occur. 

He  had  quite  an  agreeable  surprise  when  we 
were  a  few  days  out  from   Rio. 

A  passenger,  one  of  those  individuals  who  mani- 
fest an  intense  interest  in  the  affairs  of  others,  and 
who  are  unhappy  if  any  body  is  near  them  whose 
history  they  do  not  know,  said  to  him: 

"  Doctor,  were  you  ever  a  slave  ?  ', 

(A  black  cook  is  always  dubbed  Doctor,  on  ship 
board. ) 

"  Yes,"  answered  the  Doctor. 

"  Did  vou  run  awav  ?  " 

«  No." 

"  Then  you  are  lawfully  free,  hey  ?  " 

"  Yes." 

A  pause,  and  then  from  the  passenger. 


144  REMINISCENCES    OP    A 

"  Have  you  your  free  papers  about  you  ? " 

«  No.' 

Another  pause,  and  then. 

"Where  are  they?" 

"  I  loss  dem  in  Rio,"  the  Doctor  said  this  with 
a  sigh  of  regret. 

At  this,  a  sailor,  who  was  within  earshot,  turned 
quickly  around,  and  having  scanned  the  Doctor's 
person,  asked, 

"  What  is  your  name  ?  " 

"Henry  Brown." 

"  What,"  said  the  sailor,  "  will  you  give  me  to 
get  your  papers  again  ?  " 

"It's  no  use  to  talk,"  answered  the  cook, 
mournfully  shaking  his  head,  "it's  gone." 

"  You  just  wait  a  minute,"  said  the  man,  diving 
down  into  the  forecastle.  When  he  returned,  he 
had  a  document  in  his  hand,  which  he  handed  the 
Doctor,  saying, 

"Did  vou  ever  see  that  before?" 

The  little  black  man  was  excited. 

"  Where  you  get  dis  ?  "  he   said. 

"Looks  natural,  does  it?" 

"  How  you  come  by  dis,  I  say  ?  " 

The  man  explained.  A  soldier  in  the  streets  of 
Rio  offered  to  sell  it  to  him,  and  when  he  would 
not  buy,  gave  it  to  him. 

In    such    a    way,    after    it   had    been  lost,  came 


VOYAGE     AROUND     THE    WORLD.  145 

Henry  Brown's  certificate  of  freedom  back  to  him 
again.  The  passenger  had  one  more  question,  and 
he  put  it. 

"Ain't  you  glad  you've  got  it  again,"  he  asked. 


Voyage  Around  the  WorM. 


10 


146  REMINISCENCES    OP    A 


CHAPTER    XIII. 


BIRD    CATCHING. — FISHING. ENTER    THE    PACIFIC. 

RID  AY,  December  7,  we  were  in  south   lat 
itude  4*7°  40'.     Here  we  experienced  a  ver^ 
heavy  gale  from  the    south-west.      For   twenty-fom 
hours  the  ship  was  hove  to  under  the  main  spencer, 
a  small,  stout,  fore  and  aft  sail  on  the  mainmast. 

We  had  seen  nothing  like  it  before — no  wind  so 
fierce,  and  no  waves  so  high.  Down  between  the 
seas  it  was  calm  and  comparatively  still,  but  when 
the  ship  was  lifted  up  to  their  summits,  the  mingled 
roar  of  wind  and  waves  was  appalling  to  ears  un- 
accustomed to  it.  The  ship  behaved  admirably, 
proving  herself  an  excellent  sea  boat.  She  was  quite 
crank,  and  on  this  account  lay  to  better.  The  wind 
upon  her  naked  spars  and  rigging  was  alone  suffi- 
cient to  press  her  lee  gunwale  into  the  water,  and 
prevent  her  from  rolling  to  windward. 

Toward  noon  the  gale  abated  some.  The  close 
reefed  topsail,  reefed  foresail,  and  foretopmast  stay- 
sail were  set,  and  the  ship  began  to  forge  ahead 
slowly. 


VOYAGE     AROUND    THE    WORLD.  147 

We  bad  exchanged  the  tropic  bird  for  the  alba- 
tross ;  but  the  stormy  petrels  still  gave  us  the 
pleasure  of  their  company,  and  had  introduced  to  us 
in  addition,  the  giant  petrel,  the  cape  pigeon,  and 
other  members  of  the    petrel  family,    their   kindred. 

By  the  way,  petrel  is  said  to  be  derived  from 
the  diminutive  of  Peter.  The  stormy  petrel,  with 
outstretched,  but  motionless  wings,  runs  upon  the 
surface  of  the  water,  and  this  habit,  by  its  resem- 
blance to  the  well  known  attempt  of  Peter  on  Lake 
Gennesaret,  fastened  upon  them  and  their  species, 
among  Christians,  the  scriptural  name  they  bear. 

Many  Southern  Atlantic  birds  were  about  us.  At 
one  time^in  albatross  would  be  nearest.  Round  about 
us  he  would  hover,  on  his  ample  wings,  now  dart- 
ins  in  advance,  and  now  settling  in  our  wake  astern. 
Then  he  would  poise  himself  right  above  us,  and 
make  a  deliberate  survey  of  the  quarter  deck,  and 
then  whirl  away  to  leeward.  At  another  time  some 
member  of  the  petrel  family  would  be  the  inspector. 
Often  thev  would  all  come  together,  and  the  air 
would  seem  alive  with  their  swift  wings.  Whatever 
was  thrown  overboard  they  darted  down  upon  with 
the  greatest  rapidity. 

Their  voracity  suggested  to  us  (or   revived    our 

•/CO  v 

knowledge  of  the  fact),  that  they  might  be  captured 
by  baiting  a  hook  and  trolling  it  astern.      Accord- 


148  EE^fINISCENCES     OF     A 

ingly  a  line    was    brought    up,    prepared,   and   then 
veered  away. 

Immediately  the  bait,  a  piece  of  pork,  eaught 
the  eye  of  a  hungry  albatro-s.  A  few  sweeps  of 
his  broad  wings  was  sufficient  to  place  him  within 
reach  of  it ;  and  then,  partly  alighting,  and  partly 
hovering,  he  thrust  forward  his  neck  and  seized  the 
pork  with  his  bill. 

True  to  its  office,  the  barbed  steel  pierced  through, 
and  the  free  bird  of  the  ocean  was  a  captive.  When 
drawn  on  board,  he  was  released  as  gently  as  pos- 
sible from  the  hook,  and  placed  upon  the  deck. 
Such  birds  are  unable  to  rise  and  fly  from  a  ship's 
deck,  therefore  no  one  stood  near  enough  to  him  to 
ren  ler  him  uneasy.  lie  was  awed  not  one  whit  by 
the  presence  of  his  captors.  His  large  round  eye 
was  at  once  mild  and  dauntless.  His  whole  bearing 
was  kinglv  and  Graceful. 

The  albatross  is  the  largest  sea  bird  known.  It 
lias  a  pale  yellow  bill,  a  gray  head,  and  a  white 
body,  marked  on  the  back  by  a  few    black    bands. 

The  largest  one  of  which  I  have  seen  any  record, 
was  shot  oft'  the  Cape  of  Good  Hope.  It  measured 
seventeen  and  a  half  feet  from  tip  to  tip  of  the  wTings. 

The  line  having  been  veered  out  a  second  time, 
was  soon  hauled  in  again  with  a  new  specimen  at 
the  end  of  it.  This  was  a  bird  smaller  than  the 
albatross,  but  of    the    same    shape.       It    was    white 


VOYAGE    ABOUND    THE    WORLD.  149 

upon  the  breast  and  forward  part  of  the  neck,  and 
otherwise  of  a  dark  brown  color.  A  child  of  the 
ocean  it  undeniably  was,  yet  when  it  had  been 
placed  for  a  short  time  upon  the  deck  it  showed 
unmistakable  signs  of  sea-sickness.  The  bird  actually 
vomited.  Doubtless  it  was  *bc  motion  of  the  ship, 
in  which  it  was  compelled  to  participate,  that  caused 
it  to  be  so  painfully  afflicted. 

Subsequently  a  second  and  third  albatross  were 
caught.  The  latter  was  very  large  and  powerful. 
As  soon  as  he  was  hooked,  he  thrust  his  broad 
wings  down  edgewise  into  the  water,  determined 
to  resist  to  the  utmost  all  attempts  to  draw  him  on 
board.  Had  not  the  line  been  new  and  strong,  and 
the  hook  of  good  steel,  he  would  have  escaped. 

But  the  tackling  was  all  firm,  and  the  hook  had 

% 

a  strong  hold  upon  him.  Willing  hands  manned 
the  line,  and  slowly,  foot  by  foot,  the  brave  bird 
was  drawn  toward  the  ship.  The  whole  surface  of 
his  wings,  many  square  feet,  all  alive,  resisted  pow- 
erfully, and  then,  too,  the  ship  was  moving  along 
at  the  rate  of  three  or  four  miles  an  hour. 

Suddenly  the  resistance  of  the  bird  ceased  ;  his 
wings  rose  upward  out  of  the  water,  and  he  was 
easily  drawn  over  the  remaining  distance  to  the 
ship.  He  was  dead.  His  neck,  unable  to  bear  the 
unaccustomed  and  tremendous  strain,  broke.  There 
was  but  one  feeling  in  reference  to  this  bird  among 


150  '  REMINTSCEXCES     OF    A 

his  captors,  and  that  was  genuine  respect  for  him. 
His  love  of  the  freedom  wherein  he  was  born,  his 
determined  hostility  to  captivity,  his  consistent  and 
manly  resistance  even  unto  death,  struck  a  sympa- 
thetic cord  in  all  our  breasts. 

He  measured  ten  feet  from  the  tip  of  one  wing 
to  the  tip  of  the  other.  His  bill  was  preserved  by 
my  brother,  and  now  ornaments  a  shelf  in  the  Mu- 
seum of  a  New  Hampshire  Academy. 

With  the  capture  of  this  bird  our  fishing  ended 
for  that  time.  The  birds  on  deck  were  picked  up, 
tossed  into  the  air,  and  told  to  look  out  for  them- 
selves. 

This  they  were  glad  to  do,  and  they  manifested 
their  joy  in  eccentric  flights. 

On  the  12th  we  were  becalmed,  about  a  hun- 
dred miles  to  the  westward  of  the  Falkland  Islands. 
A  discussion  arose  in  regard  to  the  depth  of  the 
water,  and  to  decide  it,  the  order  was  given  to  pass 
alonsr  the  lead  and  line.  Evervthinor  was  soon  in 
readiness  and  the  lead  thrown  over.  Down  it  went, 
exciting  some  wonder,  probably,  among  the  inhabi- 
tants of  the  deep,  as  to  what  it  was,  whence  it 
came,  whither  it  was  going,  and  why  it  had  such 
a  long  tail.  What  inquiries  it  did  raise  down  in 
the  watery  realm  beneath  us,  we  could  not  know,  and 
indeed  did  not  care.  We  sent  it  to  seek  the  bot- 
tom, and  like  a  faithful    servant    it    found  it,  sixty- 


VOYAGE  AROUXD  THE  WORLD.         151 

two  fathoms  down  under  us.  One  passenger,  who 
was  an  old  mariner,  proposed  that  it  be  hauled  up 
and  armed,  and  then  sent  down  a  second  time  to 
ascertain  the  character  of  the  bottom  it  had  discov- 
ered. Another  passenger,  who  was  not  a  mariner, 
inquired  whether  it  would  be  armed  with  firearms, 
or  steel.  For  his  part  he  thought  powder  would 
be  of  little  or  no  service  under  water. 

Well,  the  lead  was  armed — not  with  pistol  or 
dirk-knife,  but  with  bar  soap,  stuck  into  a  cavity 
in  its  bottom,  and  sent  down  again.  When  it  was 
hauled  up  the  soap  was  coated  with  dark  gray 
sand. 

Then  it  was  proposed  to  fish.  Many  laughed, 
and  were  skeptical  in  regard  to  the  existence  here 
of  fish  that  swim  near  the  bottom. 

The  idea  of  fishing  prevailed,  however.  One 
brought  hooks  and  attached  them,  another  visited 
the  harness-cask  and  abstracted  a  piece  of  pork, 
and  a  third  hurried  for  a  knife  to  cut  bait  with. 
When  all  things  were  ready,  the  lead  was  cast  over. 
As  soon  as  it  was  down  one  individual  took  hold 
of  the  line,  drew  it  up  until  he  judged  the  baits  to 
be  the  requisite  distance  from  the  bottom,  and  then 
impatiently  awaited  a  bite.  He  waited  as  vainly  as 
impatiently.  He  put  in  practice  the  arts  of  the  wary 
fisherman.  He  gently  drew  the  line  up  a  short  dis- 
tance, and  as  gently  lowered    it  down  again.     This 


152  KEMINISCENCES     OF    A 

was  in  tend  eel  to  make  a  dazzling  display  of  the 
baits  before  the  eyes  of  the  fishes.  That  failing, 
he  suddenly  drew  up  several  feet  of  the  line,  say- 
ing, by  this  act,  to  any  fish  that  might  be  dallying 
with  the  bait,  as  the  auctioneer  says  to  the  human 
fish  about  his  bait,  "going,  going."  All  a  hoax. 
This  everlasting  "going— going,"  is  only  to  force  a 
bite.  When  "gone"  is  cried  the  nominal  biter  is 
always  biten. 

His  arts  all  failing,  the  first  fisherman,  discour- 
aged, resigned  the  line  to  another.  The  same  story 
over  again.  This  second  man  began  hopefully,  con- 
tinued impatiently,  and,  by-and-by,  gave  up  the 
line  willingly.  The  same  result  followed  trials  by  a 
third  man  and  a  fourth  man,  and  then  the  line  was 
fastened  to  a  pin,  and  left  to  its  own  reflection — if 
lines  ever  do  reflect. 

In  about  one  hour  there  were  signs  of  wind 
abroad,  and  the  order  was  given  to  haul  in 
the  line.  A  man  laid  hold  of  it  and  hauled  in. 
When  he  had  about  half  accomplished  his  task, 
he  stopped,  held  the  line  ofl*  from  the  side,  struck 
an  attitude  of  intense  attention,  and  pretty  soon 
declared  that  he  believed   he  had  a  fish. 

Others  proposed  to  hold  the  line,  and  see  what 
impression  they  would  get,  but  to  this  the  man 
would  not  consent,  and  himself  pulled  away  as  if 
for  dear  life. 


VOYAGE  AROUND  THE  WORLD.         153 

All  eyes  were  now  in  requisition,  .and  if  inani- 
mate matter  could  blush,  the  water  would  certainly 
have  done  so. 

Fathom  after  fathom  of  line  came  swiftly  up,  and 
lay  dripping  upon  the  deck. 

"  There  he  is  !  " 

"  There's  a  fish  !  " 

"  Well,  I  declare  !  " 
Such  exclamations    were    frequent    when  the  lead 
appeared,  and  below    it    a    dull    whitish    substance, 
writhing  about  in  the  water. 

It  was  a  dog-iish,   (Squalus  Acanthias.) 

The  signs  of  a  breeze  apparent,  when  the  line 
was  hauled  up,  proved  to  be  genuine  indications. 

A  brisk  wind  sprung  up  from  the  north-west. 
Ths  sails  were  trimmed,  and  our  course  laid  for 
Cape  Horn.     Gradually    the    wind    increased.     The 

log-book  shows  first  one  knot  (or  one  mile  per  hour), 
then  two,  then  three,  four,  six,  seven,  eight,  ten  and 
eleven. 

Much  satisfaction  was  manifested  by  all  on  board, 
and  many  sanguine  spirits  rubbed  their  hands  con- 
stantly and  walked  about  exclaiming  : 

"  What  a  Q-lorious  wind !  We  shall  double  the 
Cape  in  the  twinkling  of  an  eye !  " 

As  the  long  day  was  drawing  to  a  close,  the 
rare  cry  of  "  land  ho  !  "  was  heard  aloft.  I  climbed 
up  the  fore-rigging,  and  as  my  head  rose  above  the 


154  REMINISCENCES    OF    A 

fore-yard,  I  saw,  far  away  on  the  starboard  bow  a 
group  of  dark  objects  nestled  down  on  the  turbu- 
lent water.  It  was  the  northern  end  of  Staten 
Land,  and  fifty  miles  or  more  distant  from  us. 
Staten  Land  is  a  small  island,  separated  from 
Tierra  del  Fuego  by  the  straits  of  Le  Maire.  At 
its    southern    extremity    the    southern    continent    of 

America  curves  to  the  eastward.  Staten  Land 
seems  like  a  piece  smitten  off  from  that  extremity. 

It  was  not  dark  at  that  season  of  the  year, 
where  we  were,  until  after  nine  o'clock,  and  then 
it  could  not  be  called  dark ;  it  was  only  a  deep 
twilight. 

At  two  o'clock  in  the  morning,  the  low,  discon- 
nected objects  I  had  seen  from  the  fore-yard,  had 
grown  to  one  tall  headland.  It  was  Cape  St.  John, 
the  north-eastern  extremity  of  Staten  Land,  and 
bore  iroin  us  then  south-south-west  distant  about 
eighteen  miles.  At  noon  it  was  away  on  the  north- 
ern board. 

The  atmosphere  was  far  from  being  clear,  and, 
even  when  nearest  to  it,  the  glass  gave  no  better 
view  of  the  land  than  the  naked  eye.  I  looked 
at  it  with  interest,  but  had  not  the  keen  relish  for 
it  that  I  had  for  Fernando  Noronha.  The  charm 
that  held  me  then  was  broken.  A  vast  number 
of  birds  were  flying  between  us  and  the  shore,  but 
they  were  too  distant  to  distinguish  peculiarities. 


VOYAGE    AROUND    THE    WORLD.  155 

"  We  shall  round  the  Cape  in  a  twinkling,"  had 
been  a  hundred  times  said.  Another  instance  of 
man's  fallibility.  At  noon  the  wind  began  to  lessen. 
At  two  p.  m.,  it  was  calm,  and  a  fine  rain  fall- 
ing. At  three,  a  puff  struck  us  from  the  south, 
and  at  four,  it  blew  a  gale  from  that  direction,  ac- 
companied by  hail  and  sleet.  The  ship  was  put 
under  close  reefed  topsails  and  came  up  south- 
east by  south  on  the   starboard  tack. 

The  great  disappointment  of  all  was  somewhat 
softened  by  the  line  run  of  the  previous  day.  In 
the  twenty-four  hours  we  had  sailed  over  two  hun- 
dred miles.    . 

Six  days  succeeded  before  we  were  fairly  into 
the  Pacific.  The  wind  was  ahead  all  the  time, 
but  never,  after  the  first  day,  did  it  blow  very 
hard.  The  sea  was  regular  and  never  high.  I 
do  not  find  the  temperature  anywhere  noted,  but 
you  can  judge  about  what  midsummer  weather  is 
in   latitude   57°. 

The  sky  was  much  overcast.  A  sombre,  gray 
mantle  lined  the  firmament,  and  the  sun  was  able 
to  exhibit  himself  but  rarely.  We  went  south  as 
far  as   the  fifty-eighth  parallel  of  latitude. 

Cape  Horn  is  a  perversion  of  Cape  Hoorn. 
Shouten,  a  Dutch  navigator,  in  1616,  christened 
this  bleak,  inhospitable,  tail-end  of  the  Americas, 
Cape  Hoorn,  after  his   native  town  in  Holland. 


156  REMINISCENCES    OF    A 

Cape  Horn  is  a  sort  of  focus,  the  point  of  con- 
vergence of  thousands  of   courses. 

It  was  not  strange  therefore  to  see  vessels  here, 
although  we  had  seen  them  but  rarely  before. 
There  were  in  sight  at  one  time  two  ships,  one 
barque  and  a  brig. 

December  22,  we  took  a  fine  breeze  from  the 
eastward.  We  were  then  well  into  the  Pacific 
Ocean,  and  our  backs  fairly  turned  upon  the  gray 
sombre  region  of  the  far  south.  As  a  horseman, 
who  has  been  carefully  picking  his  way  along  a 
rough  and  insecure  path,  guiding  his  beast  with 
nerved  arms  and  wary  eye,  gives  him  the  rein  on 
entering  a  smooth  and  level  road  and  gallops  on- 
ward with  a  iovous  and  secure  feeling:,  so  we 
relaxed  at  once  from  our  Cape  Horn  watchfulness 
and  preparation,  and  with  eager  alacrity  send 
royal  yards  aloft. 

The  morning  of  Christmas  was  calm.  Several 
vessels  were  in  sight.  At  five  o'clock  a  boat  boarded 
us  from  the  ship  Harriet  Rockwell,  of  Boston, 
ninety-seven  days  out  from  Boston,  bound  to  San 
Francisco,  and  having  on  board  ninety-eight  pas- 
sengers. 

When  ships  long  out  meet  at  sea,  and  it  is  con- 
venient to  visit  from  one  to  the  other,  it  is  an 
honor  to  humanity  to  see  in  what  a  warm  and  hos- 
pitable manner  the  visitors  are  received.     Thev  are 


VOYAGE    ABOUND    THE    WOULD.  157 

taken  bv  the  hand  easjerlv  and  welcomed  to  the 
best  that  the  shin  can  afford.  The  cold  dismitv  of 
the  shore,  and  its  distant  politeness  are  not  known. 
And  why  should  the  precious  time  be  wasted  in 
ceremonies?  Mankind  are  eminently  social.  Few 
were  ever  intended  for  hermits.  But  a  ship  while 
at  sea  is  in  a  certain  sense  a  hermitage. 
Her  mariners,  shut  out  from  the  rest  of  the 
world,  and  meeting  with  but  little  material  from 
which  to  make  talk,  by-and-by  lose  their  relish  for 
conversation  with  each  other.  At  such  a  time  a 
new  man  is  a  God-send,  in  a  practical  sense,  and  it 
is  also  the  part  of  self-interest  as  well  as  of  hu- 
manity to  welcome  him  warmly. 

At  noon  a  breeze  sprang  up  from  the  north- 
west. While  lying  with  the  main  topsail  to  the 
mast  for  the  Harriet  Rockwell  to  come  up,  the  brig 
Oriental,  of  Maehias,  Me.,  passed  us.  When  their 
ship  was  abeam  of  us,  the  Rockwellians  got  into 
their  boat  and  departed.  Our  sails  were  then  filled, 
and  we  all  proceeded  on  together. 


158  REMINISCENCES     OF    A 


CHAPTER    XxV. 


A    TRIAL    OF    SPEED — VALPARAISO — THE     NORTH     STAR 
A    BLACK    EYE ARRIVAL     AT     SAN    FRANCISCO. 

5|\  T  the  close  of  the  la  t  chapter  we  were  stand- 
[9  ing  in  on  a  wind  towards  the  western  coast 
of  Patagonia,  in  company  with  the  ship  Harriet 
Rockwell  and  the  bris;  Oriental. 

They  soon  tacked  to  the  westward  and  by-and- 
by,  we  followed  their  example,  but  not  until  they 
were  out  of  sight.  In  the  night  the  wind  hauled 
to  the  south-west,  and  increased  to  a  gale.  We  wore 
ship  to  the  north  and  reduced  our  canvass  until 
only  the  close  reefed  main  topsail,  reefed  foresail, 
fore-topmast  staysail,  and  main  spencer  remained. 

At  daylight  a  barque  was  just  visible  on  the 
weather  quarter,  and  a  brig,  the  Oriental  about  six 
miles  astern.  It  was  soon  evident  that  both  were 
gaining  upon  us.  At  eight  o'clock  the  barque  was 
abeam,  and  the  brig  only  a  mile  astern  and  right 
in  our  wake.  The  brig  was  making  the  water  fly 
finely ;  great  torrents  going  over  her  foreyard. 

It  was  rather  too    mortifying    to  be  outsailed  in 


VOYAGE    AROUND    THE    WORLD.  159 

that  manner,  and  soon  the  order  came  to  make  sail. 
The  close  reefed  fore  and  mizzen  topsails,  reefed 
mainsail,  jib,  main-topmast  staysail,  and  spanker 
were  set.  The  wind  was  abeam,  and  the  ship  ran 
in  the  trough  of  the  sea.  How  she  did  go  when 
the  extra  sail  was  set !  I  remember  how  an  old 
sailor  expressed  it.  He  was  coddled  up  under  the 
break  of  the  poop,  to  windward,  chewing  his  quid, 
and  complacently  spitting  great  volumes  of  juice 
out  upon  the  deck  to  be  quickly  swept  away  by 
the  torrents  of  water  that  flew  over  the  rail. 

Another  tar,  having  watched  his  chance  so  as  to 
escape  a  wetting,  darted  from  the  shelter  of  the 
forward  house,  and  joined  him.  As  he  crouched 
bv  his  side,  he  said : 

"  The  old  craft  is  doing  her  duty." 

"Yes,"  was  the  reply,  u  she  is  getting  up  and 
naturally  holding." 

At  dinner  time  it  was  necessary  for  one  to  hold 
himself  to  the  table,  and  his  plate  upon  it.  The 
dishes  leaped  up  bodily  out  of  the  racks.  One 
butter  plate,  having  been  thrown  upon  the  deck, 
canted  up  on  its  edge,  rolled  quite  around  the 
table,  and  then  darted  through  an  open  door  into 
a  stateroom,  where  it  .came  down,  right  side  up, 
in  a  corner.  The  "  monkey,"  an  earthen  vessel  to 
hold  water,  suspended  from  a  beam  above  the 
table,     carried    on     riotously,    sometimes    swinging 


160  REMINISCENCES    OF    A 

with  long  swings  fore  and  aft,  sometimes  jumping 
up  and  down  with  short  spasmodic  jumps,  and  some- 
times whirling  swiftly  around  like  a  top. 

On  deck  one  was  more  uncomfortable  than  be- 
low. The  water  was  no  respecter  of  persons.  As 
many  seas  came  over  the  weather  quarter  as  over 
the  weather  bow. 

One  wave  appalled  me.  I  was  standing  by  the 
main  rigging,  and  holding  on  with  one  hand.  Sud- 
denly a  shade  fell  upon  the  deck.  I  looked  quickly 
up,  and  saw  just  to  windward,  only  a  few  yards 
off,  a  great  blue  wave,  a  perpendicular  wall  of 
water,  towering  up  higher  than  our  topsail  yards. 
It  seemed  to  totter,  and  I  expected  to  see  the  whole 
overhanging  mass  tumble  upon  our  deck.  Instinc- 
tively I  tightened  my  hold  upon  the  rigging.  My 
heart  seemed  lo  leap  into  my  mouth.  But  quickly 
I  felt  the  ship  ascending,  steadily  and  swiftly,  and 
the  next  moment  the  dreaded  wave,  partly  fallen 
down,  was  beneath  us.  It  is  wonderful  how  even 
the  most  misshapen  stick  of  wood  will  take  care  of 
itself  in  the  roughest  sea.  When  one  would  expect 
to  see  it  submerged,  or  hurled  end  over  end,  it  will 
rise  and  fall  as  gently  as  if  careful  hands  controlled 
it.  A  good  ship,  skillfully  managed,  will  bid  defiance 
to  almost  anything  short  of  miraculous  power. 

We  now  far  outstripped  our  companions.  At 
noon  they  had  dropped    back    to    their  old  relative 


VOYAGE    AROUND    THE   WORLD.  161 

position  in  the  morning.  Three  hours  afterwards 
they  were  both  out  of  sight,  astern.  Haviug  "  clone 
enough  for  glory,"  we  shortened  sail. 

On  the  second  day  of  January,  1850,  the  chains 
were  shackeled  to  the  anchors,  and  other  prepara- 
tions made  for  a  short  sojourn  at  Valparaiso,  Chili. 

At  ten  o'clock  on  the  night  of  the  fourth  the 
ship  was  hove  to  to  wait  for  daylight.  At  four  o'clock 
in    the    morning    we  filled    away  and  made  all  sail. 

Before  the  sun  rose  the  Andes  were  visible, 
their  snowy  summits  bathed  in  light.  In  about  an 
hour  the  coast  line  came  to  view.  At  noon  the  light- 
house on  the  Point  of  Angels  was  plainly  to  be  seen. 
The  wind  freshened  and.  there  were  occasionally  violent 
squalls.  The  light  sails  were  therefore  furled,  aud  we 
ran  in  under  the  three  topsails  and  jib.  At  half 
past  two  we  rounded  the  Point  of  Angels,  which 
forms  the  western  part  of  the  harbor,  and  saw  sud- 
denly, right  before  us,  the  city  and  the  shipping. 

The  bay,  or  harbor,  of  Valparaiso  makes  in  to 
the  south,  aud  is  semicircular  in  form.  It  is  com- 
modious, and  well  protected  from  all  winds  except 
the  north.  The  city  rises  round  the  bay  like  an 
amphitheatre.  In  its  rear  are  high  hills  having  a 
dry  and  desolate  aspect. 

Valparaiso  lies  in  31°  south  latitude.  The  fruits 
of  the  middle  States  of  this  country  are  produced 
there.     I  had  the    pleasure    of  again  seeing  apples, 

Voyage  Around  the  World.  *  * 


162  REMINISCENCES    OP    A 

and  tasting  them,  and  this  ivas  a  pleasure,  although 
on  account  of  the  season  they  were  old.  This  part 
of  Chili  produces  an  excellent  quality  of  wheat,  of 
which  large  quantities  are  exported. 

Ever  since  the  country  achieved  its  independence, 
Valparaiso  has  been  growing  in  importance,  and  is 
now  the  second  citv  on  the  Pacific  coast. 

While  we  were  lying  there,  a  street  fight  oc- 
curred between  the  police  force  and  about  two 
hundred  English  and  American  men-of-warsmen, 
who,  on  this  occasion,  made  common  cause. 

The  tumult  was  audible  on  board  the  vessels  in 
the  harbor,  and  with  the  glass  I  could  distinguish 
the  brickbats  and  stones  as  they  flew  through  the 
air.  One  policeman  was  killed  and  others  badly 
hurt.  There  was  great  excitement  in  consequence  of 
this,  and  it  had  not  subsided  when  we  left. 

Along  shore  to  the  north  two  or  three  miles 
was  the  place  where  Com.  Porter  fought  the  Essex 
so  gallantly  in  the  last  war  with  England — a  fight 
in  which  Admiral  Farragut,  the  great  naval  hero 
of  our  civil  war,  participated   as  midshipman. 

Point  of  Angels  is  noted  for  the  fierce  squalls 
that  leap  down  from  it,  and  tear  along  the  surface 
of  the  water.  It  was  while  hugsino-  this  point  in 
order  to  pass  to  windward  of  the  English  frigate 
outside,  that  a  squall  carried  away  the  Essex's  main 
topmast,  and  left  her  at  the  mercv  of  her  enemies. 


VOYAGE  AROUND  THE  WORLD.         103 

Jan.  11th,  at  noon,  we  got  under  way,  and 
stood  off  to  sea  from  Valparaiso.  Before  night 
everything  was  snug — the  anchors  stowed  and  the 
chains  unbent  and  put  below.  We  had  on  board 
six    new  passengers,  Frenchmen. 

For  twenty-five  days  we  ran  off  before  the 
south-east  trade  wind,  sighting  on  the  fourteenth  of 
the  month  the  Island  of  Ambrose.  St.  Felix  and 
Ambrose  are  two  small,  unimportant  islands  lying 
near  the  tropic  of  Capricorn,  in  80°  west  longitude. 
All  the  time  the  weather  was  exceedingly  pleasant. 
It  was  seized  upon  as  a  favorable  opportunity  to 
set  up  the  rigging  and  refit  the  ship  in  other 
respects. 

Balboa  was  the  first  European  who  beheld  the 
Pacific  ocean.  In  1513,  standing  on  the  mountain  of 
the  isthmus,  his  astonished  eyes  saw  it  stretching 
away  placid  and  bright  in  the  sun's  rays.  De- 
scending to  the  shore  he  bathed  in  it,  and, 
naming  it  the  Great  South  Sea,  took  posession  of 
it  on  behalf  of  the  King  of  Spain.  Such  a  pro- 
ceeding seems  to  us  very  presumptuous-  It  was 
presumptuous. 

It  was  not,  however,  until  1520  that  a  European 
navigated  the  new  ocean.  In  that  year  Magellan, 
passing  through  the  straits  that  now  bear  his  name, 
sailed  for  three  months  and  twenty  days  upon  it, 
and  during  the  whole  time  no  storm  ruffled  its  surface. 


164  KEMIXISCKNCBS    OP   A 

On  this  accouut  he  gave  it  the  appropriate  name 
of  Pacific  ocean,  a  name  which  all  the  subsequent 
navigators  unite  with  him  in  declaring  descriptive 
of  it. 

When  we  had  crossed  the  Equinoctial  line  again 
the  passengers  began  to  talk  of  the  North  Star. 
There  seemed  to  be  a  universal  and  intense  de- 
sire to  behold  it.  Nightly,  sharp  eyes  skirted  the 
sky  along  the  northern  board,  and  when  at  length 
the  well-known  star  did  appear,  it  was  hailed  with 
shouts  of  joy.  It  had  set  behind  us  in  the  Atlantic 
— it  rose  before  us  in  the  Pacific. 

Faithful  star,  how  it  carried  us  back  in  imagina- 
tion to  our  far  off  homes !  Over  them  it  had 
watched  all  our  lives,  and  over  them  we  were  con- 
fident it  was  watching  then. 

The  Frenchmen  whom  we  had  taken  on  board 
at  Valparaiso  ran  over  with  national  characteristics. 
They  were  remarkably  gay,  talkative,  and  polite. 
One  of  them  was  a  bit  of  a  conjurer.  He 
swallowed  pistol  bullets,  and  afterwards  extracted 
them  from  his  ears,  eyes  and  nose — changed  coppers 
to  half  dollars — drew  fathom  after  fathom  of  twine 
from  his  nose — all  to  the  great  edification  and 
amusement  of  his  stiffer  fingered  fellow-passengers. 

One  of  his  tricks  (not  a  slight-of-hand  one,  how- 
ever,) came  near  costing  him  a  threshing  The 
passengers  generally  were   sunning  themselves   upon 


VOYAGE    AROUND    THE    WORLD.  165 

the  deck,  when  he  came  among  them  with  a  novel 
contrivance  in  hi>  hand.  It  was  one  of  those  round, 
wooden  match  boxes,  which  are  so  common  with 
the  cover  fastened  on  and  two  quills,  one  long  and 
one  short  inserted  into  the  sides  of  it  Between  the 
quills,  one  of  which  was  directly  above  the  other, 
was  a  very  small  tin  wheel  on  an  axel,  the  ends 
of  which  were  inserted  in  the  quills.  Holding  it  up 
before  all,  he  said  that  it  was  an  illustration  of  a 
great  principle  in  mechanics,  and  was  an  evidence 
of  mechanical    genius    in    the    inventor. 

"If,"  said  he,  "one  shall  put  his  mouth  to  zis 
long  quill  and  blow,  ze  little  wheel  vill  go  round 
von  way — but  suppose  he  puts  his  mouth  to  ze 
short  quill  and  gives  von  grand — vat  you  call  him  ? 
suck,  eh '? — give  von  grand  suck,  it  vill  turn  about 
ze  other  way.  Try  it,  mon  ami,"  he  continued, 
handing  the  concern  to  a  herculean  down-easter. 

All  gathered  around  to  witness  the  experiment, 
but  it  was  noticed  by  some  that  the  contriver  of 
the  machine  began  to  back  out  of  the  crowd. 

Down-east  put  the  Wig  quill  to  his  lips. 

"  Blow  vare  hard,"  said  the  Frenchman,  now 
outside  of  the  throng:. 

Down-east  blew,  and  forthwith  there  came  out 
of  the  short  quill,  which  was  pointing  directly  at 
one  of  his  eyes,  a  great  cloud  of  soot. 


166  REMINISCENCES    OP    A 

Never  was  an  eye  blacked  more  quickly  by 
human  agency. 

With  an  angry  oath  the  victim  threw  away  the 
box,  and  cast  his  available  eye  about  for  the  great 
mechanician.  He  was  nowhere  to  be  seeu.  How 
our  countryman  did  curse  while  he  rubbed  his  eye ! 
He  denounced  Frenchmen  individually  and  collec- 
tively, socially  and  morally. 

The  general  mirth  which  the  affair  excited,  did 

not  serve  to  allay  his    wrath.      Finally    he    took  off 

his  coat,  and  went  in  search  of  monsieur,  to  black 

both  of  his  eyes,  he  said,  with  something  else  than 

soot.     This  his    friends    would    not  allow,  saying  it 
was    only    a    joke,    and    lie    must    not    disturb    the- 

peace  because  he  happened  to  be  the  victim  of  it. 

And  by-and  by  when  the  worst  was  over,  the 
Frenchman  came  forward  and  apologized.  He  said 
the  soot  went  into  the  eye.  contrary  to  his  expecta- 
tion, etc.,  etc.,  with  numerous  bows  and  gesticula- 
tions.    So  good  feeling  was  once  more  restored. 

Had  the  Maine  man,  instead  of  blowing  into  the 
long  quill,  sucked  upon  the  short  one,  he  would  have 
had  his  mouth  and  throat  filled  with  soot. 

The  little  tin  wheel  revolved  neither  way.  The 
only  thing  that  went  round  was  the  laugh,  and  that 
was  in  obedience  to  a  law  of  nature,  and  had  nothing 
to  do  with  mechanics. 

Feb.  27,  at  six  o'clock  in  the  morning,  land  was 


VOYAGE    AROUND     THE    WORLD.  167 

seen  from  aloft.     The   announcement  created  a  sen- 
sation for  it  was  the  land  of  California. 

I  was  at  that  moment  engaged  in  duty  that  I 
could  not  desert,  and  it  was  an  hour  before  I 
could  indulge  my  curiosity.  By  that  time  the  land 
was  visible  from  deck.  The  morning  was  dull  and 
gloomy,  and  the  distant  shore  seemed  to  me  to 
partake  of  that  dullness   and  gloom. 

The  passengers  were  giving  it  their  whole  at- 
tention. They  regarded  it  solemnly,  earnestly,  and, 
no   doubt,   with  great  satisfaction. 

'  We  sailed  on  all  the  long  day,  and  just  as  the 
twilight  was  deepening  into  darkness,  we  entered 
the  famous   Golden   Gate. 

Two  dr  three  vessels  were  in  company.     Pretty 

soon  a  little  craft  ranged  up  on  our  larboard  quar- 
ter, and  a  voice  in  the  gloom  asked — 

"Do  you  want  a  pilot?" 

"Certainly  not,"   was  the  reply. 

Something  was  muttered  about  a  "branch,"  and 
then  the  voice  subsided,  and  the  little  vessel  dis- 
appeared in  the  darkness. 

At  ten  o'clock  we  anchored,  having  made  the 
passage  from  Bath  in   173  days. 

Thank  God  !  Our  weary  voyage  was  at  an  end. 
We  had  readied  Eldorado  at  last.  And,  save  two, 
we  were  all  there. 

The  veil  of  night  was  drawn  over  the  bay,  the 


168  REMINISCENCES   OP   A 

fleet,  the  city — over  everything.  We  saw  lights 
twinkling  where  the  darker  shade  denoted  land, 
but  that  did  not  abate  curiosity — it  only  stimulated 
it.  So,  very  wisely,  we  turned  into  our  berths  and 
and  waited  for  the  morning. 


VOYAGE   AKOUND    THE    WORLD.  109 


CHAPTER  XV. 


BAT    OF    SAN   FRANCISCO — CURRENTS     OF    THE    PACIFIC 
— "  MISSIS    BROWN  " — SAIL    FOR   HONOLULU. 


S  soon  as  I  awoke  in  the  morning  I  turned 
%  out,  and,  without  bestowing  much  time  upon 
my  toilet,  hastened  out  upon  deck.  The  sun  was 
just  rising.  I  turned  towards  it — not  to  worship, 
but  to  have  a  starting  point  at  which  to  begin  my 
survey. 

I  looked  and  saw  —  ah,  how  treacherous  is 
memory!  I  cannot  remember  halt' that  I  saw,  though  I 
gazed,  and  gazed  again,  until  every  surrounding 
object  should  have  been  indellibly  daguerreotyped 
upon  my  mind. 

What  I  do  retain,  however,  is  very  vivid  yet. 
Just  under  the  sun,  and  fairly  rosy  in  his  early 
beams,  the  land  swept  from  the  eastern  shore  of 
the  bay,  back  to  the  base  of  Mount  Diabolo.  That 
mountain,  a  very  striking  object,  rose  high  in  the 
air,  overlooking  everything  between  the  coast  and 
the  Sierra  Nevada  Range.  Between  it  and  the  bay, 
gigantic,  solitary  trees  grew  here  and  there. 


ItO  REMINISCENCES   OP   A 

I  turned  slowly  to  the  south  and  all  this  changed 
into  a  forest  of  masts.  And  such  a  forest,  sure, 
was  never  anywhere  seen  before.  "  The  pine  hewn 
on  Norwegian  hills,  stood  with  the  Dines  of  Maine." 
Side  by  side  with  the  pitchy  growth  of  the  Caro- 
linas,  was  the  evergreen  growth  of  far  Australia. 
No  jardin  des  plantes  could  be  more  variously  con- 
stituted. Representatives  were  there  from  every 
quarter  of  the  earth — from  the  primeval  groves  of 
Oregon — from  lands  bordering  on  the  Okhotsk  sea 
— from  the  St.  Lawrence  valley — and  from  the  op- 
posite shores  of  the  Mediterranean  sea.  They  were 
the  masts  of  ships,  and  barques,  and  brigs,  and 
schooners,  but  both  spars  and  hulls  were  mingled 
into  a  vast  and  confused  mass. 

A  bold  promontory  shut  out  the  greater  part  of 
the  city  from  view.  Rough,  uncouth  dwellings 
dotted  the"  shore  along  where  I  could  see  it,  and 
similar  ones  stood  back  upon  the  slope. 

To  the  west,  as    I    continued    to    turn,  I  beheld 

the  strait,  through  which  we  had  entered  the  pre- 
vious evening.  On  the  south  side  an  old  dilapida- 
ted fort,  watched,  but  did  not  guard,  the  way,  and 
on  the  north  the  shore  was  high  and  steep.  Next 
my  gaze  wandered  into  the  bight  of  Sausalito,  and 
then  over  the  long  stretch  of  water  running  up  to 
the  tributary  bay  of  San    Pablo.      Many  small  ves- 


VOYAGE    AROUND    THE    WORLD.  Ill 

sels  were  under  way    in    that  direction    and  gave  a 
home-like  aspect  to  the  scene. 

When  I  had  completed  the  whole  circuit  from 
east  round  to  east  again,  I  drew  a  long  breath  like 
one  who  has  learned  the  catastrophe  of  a  story. 

The  entrance  to  San  Francisco  hay,  prophetically 
called  the  Golden  Gate,  by  the  Spaniards  long  ago, 
is  wonderful. 

Iu  approaching  it  you  sail  along  the  forbid- 
ding coas!,  which  appears  continuous  far  as  the  eye 
can  reach,  and  seek  in  vain  for  an  indication  of  an 
opening. 

But  suddenly,  as  if  by  magic,  it  is  all  before 
you,  cleft  by  Omnipotent  power  through  the  array 
of  rocky  hills.  At  its  narrowest  part,  the  passage 
is  only  a  mile  wide.  In  length  it  is  about  three 
miles:  i.  <?.,  from  the  sea  to  where  the  bay  begins 
to  unfold  itself.  A  verv  strong  tide  runs  into  it. 
Ships  outward  bound,  when  a  westerly  wind  is 
blowing  in,  often  heave  to  in  mid-channel  and  let 
the  ebb  tide  run  them  out. 

The  bay  within  is  over  sixty  miles  in  length 
and  will  average  ten  in  width.  It  receives  from 
the  jST.  E.,  through  the  Bay  of  San  Pablo,  the  wa- 
ters of  two  important  rivers,  the  Sacramento  and 
San  Joaquin.  On  the  S.  E.,  also,  a  little  stream 
flows  into  it,  the  river  Guadalupe.  A  few  islands 
lie  in  it.      Whoever  has  visited  San  Francisco  will 


1*72  REMINISCEXCES    OF     A 

remember  Islands  de  los  Angeles,  Los  Alcatrazes, 
and  Yerba  Bnena.  The  bay  lies  parallel  with  the 
coast  outside,  and  its  entrance,  the  Golden  Gate,  is 
situated  not  far  from   midway  between  its  northern 

■r 

and  southern  ends. 

I  dwelt  at  som3  length  upon  the  currents  of  the 
Atlantic  and  their  influence  upon  the  climates  of 
adjacent  countries.  There  are  corresponding  cur- 
rents in  the  Pacific  that  produce  corresponding  re- 
sults there. 

The  Pacific  equatorial  current  is  very  broad, 
extending  twenty-six  degrees  south  of  the  equator 
and  twenty-four  north.  It  flows  through  the  scat- 
tered groups  of  islands  that  lie  in  mid-ocean,  and, 
striking  the  shore  of  Australia  and  New  Guinea, 
turns  towards  the  north. 

The  "Black  Stream,"  the  Gulf  Stream  of  the 
Pacific,  pouring  through  the  Straits  of  Malacca,  runs 
along  the  coast  of  Asia,  past  the  Philippines,  and 
the  Islands  of  Japan,  striking  the  American  coast 
just  south  of  the  Aleutian  Islands.  From  thence 
its  course  is  south  again  towards  the  equator. 

West  of  California,  and  just  north  of  the  Sand- 
wich Islands  is  another  Sargasso  sea,  bearing  upon 
its  bosom  the  sea-weed  and  drift-wood  of  the  north 
Pacific. 

Like  the  Atlantic  currents  these  Pacific  currents 
distribute  the  surplus  heat  and  cold  of  the  tropical 


YOYAOE  AROUND  THE  WORLD.         173 

and  polar  regions,  where  they  add  to  the  salubrity 
of  the  climate,  the  fertility  of  the  soil,  and,  conse- 
quently, to  the  comfort  and  happiness  of  man.  In 
this  distribution  California  comes  in  for  a  generous 
share. 

In  what  I  have  heretofore  written,  I  have  not 
represented  my  duties  as  being  very  arduous.  I 
was  a  sort  of  supernumerary.  But  when  our  an- 
chor fell  from  the  cat  head  in  San  Francisco  Bay 
the  entire  aspect  of  things  was  as  much  changed 
as  if  an  enchanter's  wand  had  been  waved  over 
the  ship.  The  passage  was  up,  and  those  who  had 
worked  their  passage  rallied  no  more  at  the  call  of 
"  all  hands" 

On  the  morning  after  our  arrival  the  ship's  com- 
pany consisted  of  the  captain,  two  mates,  the  cook 
and  the  steward  and  five  boys. 

Several  passengers,  while  arrangements  were 
progressing  for  their  journey  to  the  mines,  pre- 
ferred to  remain  on  the  ship,  and  work  for  their 
board.  With  their  assistance  the  lumber  was  dis- 
charged quite  rapidly.  A  little  was  landed  at  the 
city,  but  the  greater  part  was  discharged  into  small 
vessels  and  carried  awav  inland. 

On  board  of  one  of  these  vessels  the  doctor 
found  some  of  his  beloved  gin.  His  volubility  in- 
dicated what  the  matter  was. 

The  supper  hour    arrived    but    no    bell  rang  to 


174  REMINISCENCES     OP    A 

tell  us  that  the  tea  was  made.  I  was  sent  to  the 
galley  to  assist  and  hurry  matters  up.  On  entering 
I  found  the  doctor  sitting  on  his  bench  in  front  of 
the  stove.  No  sooner  did  I  appear  than  he 
began  : 

"Fse  mighty  glad  you'se  come  in,  Massa  R. 
I'se  been  linking  'bout  my  wife,  and  'eluded  it's 
time  to  send  her  a  letter.  Spose  you're  handy  at 
such  tings,  Massa  R.,  an'  I'll  jes'  get  you  to  fix  up 
one.  Missis  Brown  '11  be  desperate  put  out  not  to 
hear  from  me,  and  den,  what  her  relations  tink ! 
Dar's  Jule  Johnsing,  one  ob  de — " 

Here  I  contrived  to  interrupt  him,  mildly  though, 
for  it  nattered  me  very  much  to  be  called  3fassa. 
and  asked  to  write  a  letter. 

"  Doctor,"  I  said,  "  it's  about  supper  time,  and 
I've  come  to  help  you.     What  shall  I  do  ?" 

"  Well,  Massa  R.,  if  dey's  hungry,  well  get  de 
supper  now,  and  talk  'bout  dat  letter  afterwards. 
I  want  you  to  write  it,  dough,  or  I  dunno  what 
Missis  Brown  do,  or  what  her  relations  tink." 

"Shall  I  lay  the  table,  Doctor?" 

"Yes.  But  Massa  R.,  I  hopes  you'll  tink  'bout 
dat  letter.     Missis  Brown — " 

But  I  was  out  of  hearing.  Supper  was  soon 
ready,  for  there  was  enouo-h  cooked.  All  the  time 
the  Doctor  kept  up  a  running  lire  of    words.      His 


VOYAGE     AROUND     THE    WORLD.  175 

ideas  were  in    a    very   chaotic    state,    however.      1 
could  distinguish  as  I  hurried  to  and  fro 

"Baltimore — de  ole  colonel — Missis  Brown — de 
Johnsings — mos'  beautiful  head." 

After  tea  was  ready  I  remained  in  the  cabin  to 
wait  upon  the  table.  I  left  the  Doctor  standing  in 
the  galley  door,  with  arms  folded  and  tongue  wag- 
ging briskly. 

When  supper  was  over  I  picked  up  an  armful  of 
dishes  and  proceeded  forward.  The  Doctor  had  dis- 
appeared from  the  galley  door,  and  not  a  solitary 
word  did  I  hear  spoken  within,  as  I  approached. 
Ah !  the  second  change  which  marked  his  courses 
of  drunkenness  had  come.  He  was  sick.  The  im- 
ages of  his  wife  and  her  relations  had  all  departed, 
even  in  that  short  time.  He  thought  no  more  about 
them,  nor  did  he  seem  to  care,  then,  what  they 
thought  about  him. 

He  was  reclining  upon  his  bench,  and  support- 
ing his  head  upon  one  hand.  He  addressed  me  in 
a  very  small,  faint,  melancholv  voice: 

"  I'se  bery  sick,"  said  he.  "Won't  you  ax  de 
capen  to  git  me  Baffin  out  ob  de  medicine  chest?" 

The  next  day  I  cooked  for  the  white  men  and 
nursed  the  black  man,  who  was  excessively  ill.  But 
the  dav  following:  that,  Henry  Brown  "  was  himself 
again,"  quiet,  inoffensive  and  industrious. 

It  was  not  lone:  before  our  number  was  reduced 


176  KKMLN1SCKNCES    OF     A 

to  four,  viz.,  the  captain,  my  brother,  myself,  and 
the  cook.  The  mate  and  steward  were  discharged, 
and  the  others  ran  off.  On  an  average,  however, 
this  was  a  large  number  to  be  left  on  one  ship  at 
that  port  at  that  time.     In  many  cases  all  ran. 

I  landed  at  one  other  place  besides  the  city 
during  our  stav  at  San  Francisco.  One  Sabbath 
day  my  brother  and  I  rowed  the  boat  over  to  the 
little  island  of  Alcatrazes.  I  have  not  attempted  to 
describe  the  city,  but  I  will,  Los  Alcatrazes,  because 
it  can  be  done  briefly.  It  was  composed  of  uneven 
rocks,  little  deposits  of  guano  were  on  it,  screaming 
birds  flew  over  it,  and  from  it  proceeded  a  horrible 
stench.     We  did  not  stay  long. 

April  5,  1850,  we  were  ready  (with  the  exception 
of  shipping  a  crew,)  for  sea  again.  The  ship  had 
been  chartered  to  proceed  to  Calcutta,  and  load  for 
London.  It  was  soon  found  impossible  to  procure 
seamen  for.  the  voyage  to  the  East  Indies.  A  mate 
was  secured,  and  that  was  the  extent  of  what  could 
be  done  in  that  direction.  The  next  best  thing  was 
then  tried,  which  was  to  get  men  to  go  as  far  as 
the  Sandwich  Islands.  Once  there  we  hoped  to  be 
able  to  get  some  kind  of  a  crew.  In  this  next  best 
thing  Ave  succeeded.  Six  men  were  shipped  on  the 
following  terms :  The  extent  of  the  voyage  should 
be  Honolulu,  in  the  Sandwich  Islands,  the  pay  one 
hundred  dollars  for    the  run,  to    be    paid    in    silver 


VOYAGE  AROUND  THE  WORLD.         1 1 7 

f  coin,  on  the  capstan,  as  soon  as  the  ship  was  fairly 

out  of  sicrht  of  land.     It  was  not  at  all   difficult  to 

i  & 

understand  the  present  condition  of  our  six  men,  nor 

I  l 

to  guess  what  their  future  designs  were.  They  had 
been  to  the  mines  and  dug  out  little  fortunes.  Thus 
enriched  they  had  returned  to  San  Francisco.  The 
call  of  dissipation  is  irresistible  to  a  sailor,  and 
through  the  avenues  of  drinking  and  gambling  their 

O  O  CD  CD 

fortunes  soon  stepped  out.  Then  their  eyes,  and 
their  desires,  turned  towards  the  gold  region  again. 
But  the  way  there  was  long,  and  money  was  requis- 
ite. They  had  no  money.  Could  they  get  any  ? 
Yes,  easily.  Thev  could  wheel  dirt  in  a  wheelbar- 
row  and  get  five  dollars  per  day  for  it.  Sailors  roll 
no  such  wheels,  however.  Then  they  could  work 
on  ship  board  in  the  harbor,  and  receive  sixty  dol- 
lars per  month.  That  was  better.  But  they  could 
also  go  to  the  Sandwich  Islands  and  receive  one 
hundred  dollars  for  the  run.  If  an  opportunity 
offered  for  them  to  work  their  way  back  again,  they 
would  have  the  hundred  dollars  intact  on  their  ar- 
rival. If  that  opportunity  did  not  offer,  the  price 
of  a  passage  was  only  thirty  dollars,  which  would 
leave  them  seventy  on  their  arrival.  So  it  was  a 
sure  ticket  to  the  mines  either  way,  and  a  sea  voy- 
age had  in  the  bargain.  One  can  easily  conceive 
how  an  old  tar  might  yearn  for  that  sea  voyage — 

yearn  for  the  luxury  of  a  storm  at  sea — to  hear  the 

i  ° 

Voyage  Around  the  World.  '  - 


178  EEMINISCENCES    OF    A 

music  of  the  gale — to  catch  a  view  of  the  blue, 
fathomless  ocean — and  to  inhale  that  air  which  has 
no  taint  of  the  land. 

On  leaving  San  Francisco  we  numbered  eleven, 
all  told.  My  brother  was  made  second  mate.  It 
seemed  like  the  beginning  of  a  lonsr  and  melan- 
choly  task  when  we  manned  the  windlass  brakes  to 
weigh  the  anchors  ;  but  a  boat's  crew  came  to  our 
aid  from  the  barque  Midas,  of  Warren,  Me.  Then 
the  volume  of  our  windlass  songs  were  doubled,  the 
rattling  of  the  iron  pauls  was  quick  and  continuous, 
and  the  last  anchor  was  soon  apeak.  About  ten  in 
the  forenoon  we  gathered  away  in  the  ship.  When 
we  were  able  to  look  out  upon  the  ocean  through 
the  narrow  entrance,  the  horizon  presented  such  a 
threatening  appearance  that  the  course  of  the  ship 
was  not  altered,  and  we  stood  over  to  Sausalito  and 
anchored  again.  It  was  two  or  three  days  before 
our  anchor  was  lifted  again.  On  one  of  these  days 
my  brother  and  I  landed,  and  took  a  short  walk. 
The  earth  was  baked  hard,  and  in  some  places  wide 
and  deep  cracks  appeared  in  it.  But  while  such 
was  the  uninviting  character  of  the  earth  beneath, 
there  was  spread  over  it  by  the  tasteful  hand  of 
nature,  a  most  beautiful  carpet  of  green  leaves  and 
bright  flowers.  None  of  the  plants  had  attained 
more  than  an  inch  in  height,  and,  as  nearly  all  were 
of  that  height,  the    surface    was   very   even.      The 


VOYAGE    AROITND    THE    WORLD.  if  9 

predominating  color  was  yellow.  The  impression 
made  upon  my  mind  by  the  compact  order  in  which 
these  plants  grew,  and  the  coolness  and  beauty  with 
which  they  invested  the  parched  and  cracked  earth, 
remains  to  this  day. 

April  30,  we  were  under  sail  again,  and.  working 
out  to  sea  against  a  westerly  breeze.  The  ebb  tide 
was  running  out  furiously,  and  thanks  to  it,  we  were 
soon  clear  of  the  land,  and  stretching  away  to  the 
south-west.  According  to  agreement,  six  hundred 
silver  dollars  were  then  paid  to  the  crew. 


ISO  REMINISCENCES    OF    A 


CHAPTER    XVI. 


ARRIVE    AT    HONOLULU. — A     BAILORS     ECONOMY. — THE 

SANDWICH    ISLANDS. 

tyjISk  FTER  a  long,  but  pleasant  passage  of  twenty 
\5$g<£)  days,  we  saw,  one  morning,  tlie  mountain 
summits  of  Oahu  before  us.  The  wind  was  light, 
and  it  was  not  until  five  o'clock  in  the  afternoon 
that  we  anchored  off  Honolulu.  Early  in  the  morn- 
ing a  pilot  came  off  to  take  the  ship  inside  of  the 
reef,  into  the  inner  harbor.  The  passage  in  between 
the  reefs  is  very  narrow,  and  the  prevailing  winds 
blow  almost  directly    out. 

We  got  under  way,  and  stood  off  until  the  ship's 
head  would  point  to  windward  of  the  entrance,  on 
the  other  tack,  and  then  went  about.  When  we 
were  abreast  of  the  passage,  the  helm  was  put  down, 
and  the  ship,  with  her  sails  shaking,  shot  into  the 
opening.  Then  the  order  was  given  to  clue  up 
everything  upon  the  run,  and  this  was  accomplished 
before  the  ship  lost  her  way. 

Meanwhile  a  heavy  line  had  been  run  to  the 
reef  on  the  starboard  hand,   where  a  host  of  Kana- 


VOYAGE  AROUND  THE  WORLD.         181 

kas  were  in  waiting.  These  all  seizing  upon  the  line, 
drew  the  vessel  alone:,  until  she  was  far  enough  in 
to  fetch  by  the  reef  on  the  port  side,  then  the  line 
was  cast  off,  everything  sheeted  home,  and  the  an- 
chorage made  under  sail.  It  was  lively  work  while 
it   lasted. 

When  the  ship  was  moored,  our  six  men  were 
free.  Before  them  lay  the  town,  teeming  with  sinful 
allurements.  They  seemed  to  understand  how  far 
they  were  from  being  proof  against  temptation. 
The  object  for  which  they  had  undertaken  the  voy- 
age was  vet  to  be  accomplished.  They  must  save 
enough  of  money  to  get  back  to  San  Francisco,  and 
from  thence  to  the  mines.  How  to  do  this  was  a 
question  that  they  discussed  earnestly.  One  old  tar 
spoke  out,  as  I  happened  to  pass  them: 

"I'll  tell  ye,  mates,  what  P m  going  to  do.  The 
rest  of  ye  may  do  as  ye  please.  The  boy  here 
(meaning  me)  will  take  care  of  my  shiners  while  I 
land  and  take  an  observation.  Then  if  it's  pay 
money  to  San  Francisco,  I'll  pay  mine  the  first 
thing,  and  be  sure  of  that  much."  Two  others, 
younger  men,  approved  of  this  plan.  The  remaining 
three  had  some  other  crotchet. 

Forthwith  those  who  had  constituted  me  guar- 
dian of  their  treasure  came  with  it.  Each  one  had 
his  hundred  dollars  in  a  stocking — a  woolen  purse. 
They  said  they  had  each   taken  ten  dollars   to   pay 


182  REMINISCENCES    OP    A 

current  expenses,  and  that  they  would  return  for  the 
remainder  as  soon  as  they  had  made  arrangements 
for  returning  to  San  Francisco.  I  accepted  the  trust 
quite  proudly.  The  stockings  I  placed  in  my  chest 
and  locked  them  up.  In  an  hour  all  were  gone. 
The  next  day  the  two  young  men  who  had  left  the 
money  with  me,  returned.  They  said  they  had  se- 
cured passage  to  San  Francisco  in  a  barque  about 
lo  sail  for  that  port.  The  price  of  a  passage  was 
thirty  dollars,  and  they  were  intending  to  pay  im- 
mediately. 

The  succeeding  day  the  old,  veteran  tar  came 
on  board,  and  with  him  a  strange  sailor.  Both  had 
been  drinking.  In  descending  the  gangway  steps 
to  the  deck,  each  made  a  low  obeisance  by  falling 
headlong  down.  After  a  few  words  of  greeting,  the 
old  sailor  told  me  in  a  husky  voice  that  he  wanted 
money.  I  brought  his  stocking.  It  would  seem  that 
the  strange  sailor  had  solicited  a  loan. 

"Jack,"  said  the  capitalist,  opening  his  stocking, 
how  much  do  ye  want  ? " 

"  Say  that  yerself,  my  hearty — I'm  easy." 

The  holder  of  the  stocking  thrust  his  hand  into 
it,  and  drew  out  a  heaped  handful  of  dollars. 

"Will  that  do  ve?" 

at 

"  Yes.     Count  'em." 

"  I'll  be  cursed  if  I  do,  now.  Figerin's  for  land- 
sharks  !     If  ye  want  more,  say  so." 


VOYAGE    AEOUND    THE    WOULD.  183 

"There's  a  plenty,  shipmate.  Now  when'll  I 
pay  ye?" 

"  There,  belay  that !  No  such  lingo  atween  us. 
Pay  when  you  can  pay." 

In  the  transfer  of  the  coin'  from  hand  to  hand 
several  dollars  fell  to  the  deck,  but  neither  took  any 
heed  of  them.  After  putting  a  handful  in  his  own 
pocket,  the  owner  of  the  stocking  handed  it  back 
to  me,  and  the  twain  were  moving  off. 

"  Look  here,"  said  I ;  "  see  these  dollars  on  the 
deck.     You'll  pick  them  up  ?" 

"  Pick  them  up  yourself,  if  you  want  them."  And 
the  drunken,  irresponsible  men  were  soon  on  their 
way  to  the  shore.  I  gathered  up  the  scorned  dol- 
lars, put  them  back  into  the  stocking,  which  had 
lost  much  of  its  fullness,  and  locked  the  whole  up 
again. 

Two  days  afterwards  the  old  sailor  came  again. 
This  time  he  was  silent  and  morose.  He  said  he 
would  take  the  stocking  altogether,  and  not  trouble 
me  any  more.  I  asked  what  arrangements  he  had 
made  for  getting  back  to  San  Francisco.  He  said 
none,  and  as  he  did  not  appear  at  all  communica- 
tive, I  said  no  more.  When  he  received  his  stock- 
ing he  opened  it,  and  taking  out  three  dollars, 
offered  them  to  me.  I  refused  them,  and  said  he 
had  given  me  no  trouble.  Without  a  word  he  threw 
them  upon  the  deck,  turned,  and  went  over  the  side. 


18-1  REMINISCENCES    OF    A 

I  never  afterwards  saw    one    of  the    six,    or   heard 
of  one. 

We  now  set  about  overhauling  the  ship.  Three 
native  riggers  were  engaged  ;  and  a  few  days  sub- 
sequently, a  young  American  was  shipped  to  remain 
by  the  vessel  until  she  should  reach  the  United 
States.  His  name  was  Joseph  Bacon.  Though  only 
seventeen  years  of  age,  going  to  sea  was  the  third 
occupation  in  which  he  had  been  engaged.  He  had 
first  been  a  circus  rider,  then  a  shoemaker,  and  lie 
was  now  a  sailor.  He  had  come  to  the  Sandwich 
Islands  in  a  New  Bedford  whalcship,  from  which 
he  ran  at  Hilo,  in  the  Island  of  Hawaii.  From 
Ililo  he  had  come  to  Honolulu,  and  the  American 
Consul  sent  him  on  board  of  us. 

Shortly  after  Joe  came  on  board,  we  had  a  more 
valuable  addition  to  our  ship's  company.  John  C 
Oliver,  a  native  of  Bath,  Maine,  joined  the  ship  as 
carpenter,  lie  was  very  intelligent,  and  possessed 
a  great  deal  of  practical  knowledge.  His  experience 
had  been  most  varied.  He  had  served  as  carpen- 
ter in  merchant  ships,  and  men-of-war,  had  been  a 
speculator  in  eastern  lands,  a  gold  digger  in  Cali- 
fornia, and  a  resident  of  the  Sandwich  Islands. 
The  work  of  refitting  progressed  quite  rapidly.  The 
situation  was  favorable,  the  days  long  and  pleasant, 
and  the  air  invigorating. 

The  Sandwich  Islands  were  discovered  by  Capt. 


VOYAGE    AROUND    THE    WORLD.  185 

Cook,  towards  the  end  of  January,  1778,  and  named 
thus  in  honor  of  Lord  Sandwich,  at  that  time  Lord 
of  the  Admiralty.  They  are  ten  in  number,  and 
are  called  respectively,  Hawaii,  or  Owhyhee,  Mo  wee, 
Tahoorowa,  Hanoi,  Morotoi,  Oahu,  or  Woahoo, 
Atooi,  Tehoura,  Oneeheow,  and  Oreehoua.  There  are 
various  ways  of  spelling  these  names.  I  have  written 
them  as  they  were  cpelled  upon  the  chart  of  that 
region.  Hawaii  is  by  far  the  largest  of  the  group. 
Tahoora  and  Oreehoua  are  very  small  islands,  and 
lie  near  the  opposite  ends  of  Oneeheow.  The  area 
of  all  the  islands  is  between  six  and  seven  thousand 
square  miles. 

The  Sandwich  Islands  are  of  volcanic  origin. 
Geographers  make  this  remark  of  all  the  Islands  of 
Polynesia.  "  Those  which  are  mountainous  are  of 
volcanic  origin ;  the  low  ones  are  the  work  of  the 
coral  insect." 

Mount  Kilauea,  an  active  volcano  on  Hawaii,  is 
the  peer  of  iEtna,  Vesuvius,  or  Hecla.  Extinct 
craters  are  numerous  on  all  the  islands. 

Volcanic  countries  have  one  general  appearance 
wherever  they  exist.  The  Sandwich  Islands  abound 
in  rugged,  irregular,  picturesque  mountains,  smooth 
plains,  and  rich  valleys  teeming  with  luxuriant  veg- 
etation. The  natural  products  of  these  islands  are 
the  cocoa  nut,  yam,  tare    root,  sweet   potatoe,    etc. 

It  is  said  that,  when  first  discovered,  there  were 


18G  REMINISCENCES    OF   A 

neither  insects  nor  reptiles  upon  them,  nor  any  ani- 
mal larger  than  a  hog.  However,  the  domestic  an- 
imals of  civilized  nations  were  soon  transported 
thither,  and  they  are  appreciated  by  the  Islanders. 
I  am  in  doubt  which  the  Kanaka  (who  owns  both,) 
loves  most  dearly,  his  canoe,  or  his  horse. 

The  climate  of  these  Islands  is  delightful.  The 
skies  are  cloudless,  and  the  atmosphere  clear  and 
bracing.  Thunder  storms  are  rare,  and  light.  The 
temperature  there,  it  has  been  observed,  is  that  which 
is  most  conducive  to  health.  There  are  evident  rea- 
sons for  all  this.  These  islands  lie  along  the  northern 
limit  of  the  Torrid  Zone,  in  the  midst  of  a  glorious 
sea,  and  swept  over  by  the  constant  trade  wind. 
Their  climate  cannot  be  the  same  as  the  climate  of 
a  part  of  a  continent  situated  in  the  same  latitude. 
The  surrounding  ocean  constantly  modifies  the  tem- 
perature. 

When  Capt.  Cook  first  visited  Hawaii,  he  found 
the  natives  rapacious  and  inhuman.  His  valuable 
life  was  destroyed  by  them  in  the  most  barbarous 
manner.  They  were  cannibals,  and  they  also  offered 
human  sacrifices  to  their  gods.  These  victims  were 
prisoners  taken  in  battle,  however.  Others  were 
neither  eaten,  nor  sacrificed.  Idolatry  was  abolished 
in  1819. 

The  earlv  Christian  missionaries  on  these  and 
other    Islands    of   Polynesia,    in    performing    their 


VOYAGE    AROUND    THE    WORLD.  187 

Divinely  appointed  labor,  have  had  obstacles  to  con- 
tend with  of  which  we  have  no  adequate  concep- 
tion. When  obstacles  are  mentioned  in  this  con- 
nection, our  thoughts  are  naturally  turned  to  the 
natives,  and  we  expect  to  discover  the  most  formid- 
able hindrances  there.  But  this  view  of  the  matter 
is  not  correct.  The  mass  of  these  people,  like  those 
to  whom  Peter  preached  on  the  Day  of  Pentecost, 
"gladly  received"  the  words    of  the  missionaries. 

Let  us  look  in  the  opposite  direction.  Could  an 
intelligent  and  ingenuous  heathen  be  set  down  in 
this  country  to-day,  and  his  conversion  attempted, 
might  we  not  expect  him,  beholding  the  laxity  of 
morals  and  the  frequency  of  criminal  acts,  to  say : 
"  Wherein  is  your  religion  better  than  mine,  if  these 
are  the  fruits  of  it  that  I  see  around  me  ?" 

So  in  these  distant  islands,  the  ingenuous  natives 
pointed  the  missionaries  to  the  agents  of  commerce^ 
many  of  whom  were  neither  chaste,  nor  honest,  nor 
temperate,  and  asked,  "  Are  these  the  fruits  of  your 
religion  ?  " 

They  did  not  realize  that  of  a  people  one  in 
other  respects,  a  part  served  God,  and  a  part  did 
not.  On  this  account,  among  these  untaught  beings, 
the  licentiousness  and  crimes  of  men  having  the 
color,  and  speech,  and  customs  of  the  missionaries, 
was  something  that  told  terribly  against  the  mis- 
sionary cause.  That  was  one  obstacle.  There  is 
another  that  sprung  from  the  same  seed. 


188  REMINISCENCES     OF    A 

The  missionaries  must  stand  between  the  vicious 
of  their  own  people  and  their  victims.  This  con- 
duct rendered  them  objects  of  hatred  to  those  they 
thwarted,  who  abased  them  there,  and  tarnished  the 
records  of  their  labor  when  they  readied  home. 

Such  evil  reports  were  brought  home  and  pub- 
lished by  some  of  the  old  navigators.  Prominent 
among  these  was  Capt.  Kotzebue,  of  the  Russian 
Navy.  It  will  not  do,  however,  to  bring  against 
him  the  charges  of  licentiousness  and  crime,  but 
investigation  has  shown  that,  in  looking  at  mission- 
ary labor,  his  vision  was  warped  by  excessive  pre- 
judice. 


VOYAGE  AROUND  THE  WORLD.         189 


CHAPTER  XVII. 


AT  HONOLULU. — A  KANAKA  CREW. 

m  |  1  THOUGH  Hawaii  is  the  largest  island  of  the 
(slS^r  group,  Oahu  has  secured  the  Capitol.  Hon- 
olulu is  situated  on  the  south-east  side  of  this  island. 
It  is  narrow  of  necessity,  the  sea  in  its  front,  and 
the  mountains  in  its  rear  not  being*  remote.  The 
harbor  is  large  enough  to  contain  about  a  hundred 
vessels,  and  is  formed,  as  I  have  said  before,  by 
coral  reefs.  These  reefs  are  submerged  at  high  tide, 
and  bare  at  low  water.  The  harbor  is  perfectly 
secure.  The  chief  street  of  Honolulu  leads  out  into 
the  Xuuanu  Valley.  Through  this  picturesque  open- 
ing in  the  mountains,  a  road  extends  about  six  miles, 
and  terminates  suddenly  in  the  Pali,  a  sheer  des- 
cent  of  about  eleven  hundred  feet.  From  the  deck 
of  the  ship  we  could  trace  the  general  direction  of 
the  valley.  A  little  to  the  right,  rising  close  in  the 
rear  of  the  town,  was  a  high  hill  with  a  long,  level 
summit.  Along  this  a  tier  of  guns  was  placed,  and 
at  its  south-eastern  extremity  the  Hawaiian  flag  was 
daily  set  upon  a  tall  pole.     Farther  to  the  right  was 


190  REMINISCENCES    OF    A 

the  Devil's  Punch  Bowl,  the    crater    of   an   extinct 
volcano. 

The  town  presented,  on  week  days,  a  very  busi- 
ness like  aspect.  The  most  noticeable  buildings 
were  a  stone  church,  and  a  new  market  house,  built 
of  coral,  from  the  reef's  forming  the  harbor.  The 
fort  could  not  claim  attention  as  a  fortification,  but 
it  was  interesting  on  account  of  its  historical  as- 
sociations. 

It  had  played  its  part  in  the  bullyings  which 
this  realm  has  received  from,  and  the  cessions  it  has 
made  to  stronger  powers,  from  the  time  of  the  first 
cession  of  Hawaii  to  Vancouver,  down  to  the  last 
French  raid.  These  barbarities  seem  to  have  been 
individual  acts,  rather  than  national,  and  no  endur- 
ing wrong  was  done  to  the  infant  State. 

I  went  over  to  the  fort  one  day  with  the  inten- 
tion of  "  going  round  about,  and  telling  the  towers 
thereof,"  but  a  squad  of  Hawaiian  troops  manoeuvring 
near  by  took  my  thoughts  completely  away  from  it. 
These  Kanaka  wTarriors  were  uniformed  in  a  very 
chance  sort  of  a  way.  Some  sported  hats,  shirts, 
and  pants,  while  others  had  only  the  hat,  or  only 
the  shirt,  or  only  the  pants,  or  neither  the  hat,  shirt, 
nor  jyants.  Some  handled  muskets,  others  flourished 
sticks.  Their  proficiency  in  drill  was  about  on  a 
par  with  their  equipments. 

Whether  these  were  regulars,  or  militia,  I  could 


VOYAGE  ABOUND  THE  WORLD.         191 

not  determine,  for  it  was  the  only  military  display 
I  witnessed  there. 

Our  ship  was  moored  fore  and  aft  in  the  harbor, 
forward  by  the  anchors,  and  aft  by  the  kedge  to 
the  reef.  Right  astern  of  us,  not  far  from  where 
our  kedge  lay,  was  a  Kanaka  hut.  It  was  almost 
afloat  at  high  water.  Its  inhabitants  were  men, 
women,  and  children,  and  quite  a  number  of  them ; 
and  why  they  had  taken  up  their  abode  with  the 
fishes,  as  it  were,  I  could  not  imagine.  Perhaps 
they  were  not  fit  to  live  with  other  people.  Cer- 
tainly they  wTere  not  an  amiable  family.  They  had 
repeated  quarrels,  and  the  air  was  filled  wTith  their 
hard  words ;  often  they  filled  it  with  something 
harder  than  words,  stoning  each  other  for  hours, 
sometimes. 

I  witnessed  one  of  these  quarrels  one  day  from 
aloft,  where  I  was  at  work.  A  poor  wretch  of  a 
girl  was  up  to  her  middle  in  the  water  on  the  reef, 
and  the  others  were  stoning  and  reproaching  her 
from  the  hut.  Had  she  desired,  she  could  have 
taken  herself  out  of  the  way  very  quickly,  for  these 
creatures  swim  like  fishes. 

Frequently  the  stern  hawser  would  shake,  and 
on  looking  over,  I  wTould  behold  a  naked  brown 
body,  climbing  upon  it,  out  of  the  water. 

It  is  a  favorite  pastime  with  the  Kanakas,  gen- 
erally, to  go  down  to  the   shore    where,  and   when 


102  REMINISCENCES    OF     A 

the  waves  were  rolling  in  most  furiously,  and  dive 
under  them,  coming  up  two  or  three  hundred  yards 
off,  outside  of  the  surf.  When  they  return  they 
commit  themselves  to  the  highest  wave,  and  ride  to 
the  shore  on  its  crest.  They  often  carry  with  them 
a  piece  of  board  which  they  bear  before  them  in 
their  hands.  From  the  deck  of  the  ship  we  could 
see  their  dark  bodies  plunging  all  day  long  into  the 
white  surf  that  broke  on  the  reefs.  It  would  not 
be  much  out  of  the  way  to  say  that  a  Kanaka  is  as 
much  at  home  in  the  water  as  on  the  land. 

Their  canoes  are  formed  from  trunks  of  trees, 
and  invariably  carry  outriggers  to  stiffen  them.  The 
canoe  is  their  national  craft,  and  they  are,  of  course, 
skillful  in  the  use  of  it. 

Nothing  occurred  to  bring  us  into  contact  with 
any  of  the  higher  class  of  natives,  excepting  that 
two  young  men,  connected  with  the  Royal  family, 
and  students  of  the  Royal  School,  came  on  board 
one  afternoon  and  remained  until  evening,  takingr 
tea  with  us.  They  were  very  fine  appearing  men, 
quite  polished  in  their  manners,  spoke  good  English, 
and  were  social  and  companionable.  It  was  said 
that  many  of  the  chiefs  were  amiable  gentlemen. 

Of  the  mass  of  the  population  not  much  com- 
plimentary matter  can  be  written. 

We  remained  at  Honolulu  until  the  twelfth  of 
June — about    twenty    days.      My    duties   were    too 


VOYAGE    AROUND    TITE    WORLD.  193 

pressing  for  nie  to  see  much  outside  of  the  town, 
save  what  was  visible  from  the  ship.  One  Sabbath, 
however,  I  thought  it  but  just  that  I  should  have  a 
run.  So  I  mustered  my  available  cash,  put  on  my 
best  suit,  and  stepped  into  the  boat,  which  was 
about  to  proceed  to  the  shore  for  something. 
From  the  landing  I  directed  my  course  towards  the 
fortified  hill  I  have  mentioned,  in  rear  of  the  town. 
After  passing  out  from  among  the  buildings,  I  found 
myself  upon  a  beaten  path,  leading  to  the  foot  of 
the  hill.  The  surface  of  the  ground  was  already 
slightly  ascending.  While  walking  briskly  along,  I 
was  suddenly  taken  "  all  aback  "  by  a  scene  at  the 
roadside.  Three  native  women  were  lying  asleep 
in  the  gutter.  The  mud  was  soft  enough  to  take 
impressions,  and  they  were  making  fine  ones. 

It  may  strike  some  that  these  women  were  as 
naked  as  the  swine  they  wrere  imitating.  Xot  so, 
however,  or  my  astonishment  would  have  been  less. 
They  were  dressed — not  in  mats  of  their  own  man- 
ufacture— not  in  the  skins  of  beasts,  birds,  or  fishes 
— but  in  the  richest  and  most  gorgeous  colored  satin. 
Strange  anomaly  !  Whence  are  they,  wdio  are  they? 
I  wondered,  and  straightway  I  had  thoughts  of 
King  Kamehameha's  household.  But  looking  still 
more  closely,  I  abandoned  that  idea,  for  the  dresses, 
though  so  rich  in  material,  were  entirely  without 
proper  form",  mere  bags  with  lesser  bags  for  sleeves. 

"*       Voyage  Around  the  World.  ■*  " 


194  REMINISCENCES    OP    A 

Inquiries  made  subsequently,  enlightened  me  in  re- 
gard to  the  matter,  but  I  cannot  venture  upon  an 
explanation. 

Turning  away  from  these  human  swine,  in  their 
congenial  mud,  I  pursued  my  way  toward  the  hill. 
Before  me  no  one  was  coming  whom  I  might  meet, 
and  no  one  going  whom  I  might  overtake ;  nor  was 
any  one  following  me,  near,  or  in  the  distance.  A 
Sabbath  calm  had  cettled  down  upon  the  country, 
the  town,  and  the  shipping. 

The  road  led  up  the  southern  slope  of  the  hill. 
Though  quite  steep,  the  ascent  was  not  difficult  for 
one  whose  wind  was  good.  The  view  from  the  sum- 
mit was  maguificent,  and  I  stood  admiring  it  long 
after  I  was  rested.  At  my  feet  lay  the  town.  Be- 
yond, decked  wTith  flags,  rose  the  masts  of  the  ship- 
ping in  the  harbor.  Outside,  the  waves  of  the  great 
ocean  broke  in  white  foam  on  the  reefs.  On  the 
left,  was  the  Devil's  Punch  Bowl,  and  groves  of 
cocoa  nut ;  and  back  of  me,  on  the  right  hand,  the 
dark  peaks  of  many  mountains.  Over  all  a  cloud- 
less sky  hung,  and  down  upon  all  the  great  sun 
poured  his  vivifying  and  cheering  rays. 

In  making  my  survey  of  the  summit  of  the  hill, 
I  first  walked  from  end  to  end  of  the  long  row  of 
cannons.  Each  muzzle  was  flush  with,  or  projected 
over  the  brow  of  the  hill.  They  were  twenty-four 
and  thirty-two  pounders,  and  all  in  poor  condition. 


VOYAGE    AROUND    THE    WORLD.  195 

Had  the  guns  been  in  good  order,  it  would  have 
been  a  very  effective  battery.  It  overlooked  the 
harbor  and  the  roadstead,  and  in  a  measure,  com- 
manded all  the  approaches  to  the  town. 

I  was  surprised  to  find  no  person  on  the  hill. 
The  stronghold  seemed  to  be  abandoned.  Where 
the  flag  staff  stood  was  higher  than  the  level  of  the 
guns.  About  it  was  a  great  j)ile  of  cannon  balls. 
As  I  moved  in  that  direction,  I  heard  a  slight,  un- 
usual sound.  It  was  neither  the  rustle  of  the  flag, 
nor  the  sighing  of  the  wind.  A  few  more  steps 
revealed  the  cause.  On  the  ground,  by  the  farther 
edge  of  the  pile  of  balls,  an  old  Kanaka  lay  on  his 
back,  asleep.  A  little  solo  that  he  was  performing 
on  his  nasal  organ  had  reached  my  ears.  I  walked 
about  the  old  fellow,  whistled,  coughed,  and  rattled 
the  cannon  balls,  but  he  slumbered  on  without  the 
quivering  of  a  muscle.  Now,  thought  I,  suppose  I 
were  a  cruel,  designing,  relentless  enemy  to  the 
Hawaiian  kingdom,  and  the  Hawaiian  king.  I  could 
capture  and  dismantle  this  stronghold  in  about  thirty 
minutes,  and  inflict  any  indignity  upon  the  standard 
of  the  realm.  I  would  first  take  up  a  cannon  ball, 
and  dash  it  upon  the  head  of  the  sleeping  Kanaka, 
a  process  calculated  to  scatter  his  brains  pretty  pro- 
miscuously about.  (I  will  insert  here,  parenthetically, 
that  the  above  calculation  about  the  Kanaka's  brains 
was  altogether  erroneous.     I  was  not  aware  at  that 


196  REMINISCENCES    OF     xV 

time  of  the  thickness  and  solidity  of  a  Kanaka's 
skull.  Subsequently,  as  I  shall  have  occasion  to  re- 
late in  the  course  of  this  narrative,  my  eyes  were 
opened.  If  a  thirty-two  pound  ball  had  been  dashed 
down  upon  this  sleeper's  head,  it  would  probably 
have  roused  him  from  his  nap,  but  it  would  not 
have  hurt  him  much.) 

Let  me  see — the  last  thing  I  did  before  entering 
the  parenthesis,  was  to  knock  out  the  Kanaka's 
brains,  in  imagination.  That  done,  I  would  descend 
to  the  level  of  the  guns,  and  shove  them,  one  after 
another,  over  the  brow  of  the  hill.  Then  I  would 
take  down  the  Hawaiian  flag,  and  tear  it  into  pocket- 
handkerchiefs — after  which  I  would  amuse  myself 
by  rolling  the  cannon  balls  down  after  the  cannons. 
If  Kanakadom  came  to  the  rescue  meanwhile,  and 
I  could  not  frighten  them  by  rolling  balls  at  them, 
I  would  flee  over  the  other  side  of  the  hill  and  seek 
a  place  of  safety. 

However,  beiug  a  friend  to  the  Hawaiian  king- 
dom, and  in  no  wise  an  enemv  to  the  Hawaiian 
king,  I  attempted  no  such  thing. 

When  I  left  the  hill  the  Kanaka  was  sleeping 
the  sleep  that  knows  a  waking,  the  flag  of  Hawaii 
blew  out  proudly  from  its  staif,  and  the  cannons  still 
overlooked  the  town.  And  yet  my  imagination  was 
so  fired  by  taking  the  fortress,  that  I  found  myself 
absolutely  compelled  to  do  something   unusual   and 


VOYAGE    ABOUND    THE    WORLD.  107 

heroic.  Therefore,  instead  of  descending  by  the 
road,  as  I  came  up,  I  went  over  the  brow  of  the 
hill,  straight  towards  the  town.  It  was  very  steep 
— in  places  almost  perpendicular.  It  was  "a  hard 
road  to  travel."  I  regretted  that  I  had  on  ray  best 
suit.  Otherwise  I  should  have  sat  down,  and  cau- 
tiously "put  her  through  to  the  bottom."  But  my 
apparel  had  to  be  spared.  So  I  stamped  along, 
driving  my  heels  in  as  far  as  I  could,  feeling  and 
testing  everything  before  I  committed  mv  weight  to 
it.  Once  in  a  while  I  would  find  a  stout  tuft  of 
grass  in  just  the  right  place  to  lead  me  over  a  per- 
pendicular jog.  When  nearly  down,  I  caught  sight 
of  a  man  walking  swiftly  toward  me  from  the  town. 
I  began  to  think  my  proceedings  were  irregular, 
and  his  object  was  to  call  me  to  an  account.  I 
kept  on,  however,  and  met  him  a  little  way  from 
the  foot  of  the  hill.  He  was  a  young  Kanaka.  When 
he  passed  me,  instead  of  frowns,  his  face  displayed 
smiles.  I  was  very  tired  when  I  reached  the  land- 
ing place.  Two  Kanakas  offered  to  paddle  me  on 
board,  and  I  graciously  permitted  them  to  do  so. 

When  we  were  about  ready  for  sea,  a  crew  was 
shipped  consisting,  according  to  articles  of  agree- 
ment, of  a  boatswain,  and  ten  able  seamen.  But 
the  facts  of  the  case  were  these.  The  boatswain 
was  but  an  ordinary  seaman,  and  of  the  ten  men, 
not  one  had  ever  put  foot  upon  a  ship's  deck  before. 


198  EEMINISCENCES     OF    A 

Some  one  may  wonder  how  we  came  to  be  so  de- 
ceived in  them.  We  were  not  deceived,  except  in 
the  boatswain,  whom  we  supposed  to  be  a  thorough 
seaman. 

I  have  already  said  that  men  were  not  procurable 
in  San  Francisco,  to  go  far  from  that  attractive 
place  ;  and  suitable  men  were  not  to  be  obtained 
at  Honolulu.  If  any  were  there,  their  faces  were 
set  towards  the  East,  Eldorado,  and  not  towards 
the  West.  We  knew,  beforehand,  all  this  to  be  true 
of  while  men,  but  we  did  hope  tj  find  at  the  cap- 
itol  of  the  Hawaiian  kingdom,  Kanakas  who  had 
been  taught  seamanship  and  English  by  the  whale- 
men, who  often  employ  them  on  board  their  ships. 
We  were  disappointed,  because  many  ships  had  pre- 
ceded us,  bound  to  the  same  ports,  and  having  the 
same  necessities  as  ourselves.  These  had  gleaned 
from  all  the  Islands  every  man  who  could  handle 
a  marlin  spike,  or  climb  a  mast.  We  were,  there- 
fore, compelled  to  take  what  we  could  get,  and  on 
rather  hard  terms,  at  that. 

In  the  boatswain  we  considered  we  had  a  treas- 
ure. He  was  a  native,  he  said,  and  a  thorough 
sailor,  and  understood  and  spoke  English.  Here, 
then,  was  one  to  interpret  to  the  others,  and  teach 
them  what  it  was  necessary  they  should  know. 

The  ten  green  Kanakas  were  furnished  to  order 
by  the  King.     It  was  said  he  furnished  them  in  any 


VOYAGE  AROUND  THE  WORLD.         199 

quantities  to  the  crewless  ships.  We  had  ours  upon 
the  following  terms.  They  were  to  receive  twenty 
dollars  per  month,  and  one  month's  pay  in  advance. 
Here  again  rumor  (which  is  the  same  thing,  and  as 
often  correct  in  one  place  as  another,)  dragged  in 
the  King.  It  was  said  that  he  received  the  whole, 
or  the  greater  part  of  this  advance,  and  it  was  the 
price  for  which  he  sold  a  subject. 

He  did  not  sell  them  unconditionally,  though,  as 
will  be  seen  by  another  item  in  the  terms.  Each 
Kanaka,  uuless  he  left  voluntarily,  or  died,  must  be 
eventually  returned  to  the  Islands,  or  five  hundred 
dollars  forfeited  for  him.  Bonds  were  required  to 
that  effect.  It  would  have  been  a  hard  case,  had 
the  men  actually  been  seamen.  How  much  more 
so,  then,  when  it  is  understood  that  they  literally 
knew  nothing.     And  then  such  names  as  they  had ! 


200  REMINISCENCES    OF    A 


CHAPTER    XVIII. 


MORE    ABOUT     OUR    CREW. SAIL     FROM     HONOLULU. 

VARIOUS    MATTERS. — PROPOSED    ROUTE    TO    THE  IN- 
DIAN   OCEAN. 

WILL  in  a  few  sentences  complete  my  de- 
0&£b  scription  of  our  Kanakas.  I  referred  to  their 
names.  Two  only  were  able  to  retain  their  patro- 
nymics throughout,  viz.,  Cuhaver  and  Lolo.  Chance, 
or  some  peculiarity  of  the  individual,  soon  fastened 
new  appellations  upon  the  others,  and  they  bore 
them  thereafter,  while  with  us. 

At  one  time  I  had  seen  and  been  fascinated  by 
a  picture  of  John  Gilpin,  that  "  citizen  of  credit 
and  renown."  He  was  represented  as  he  appeared 
when  "  the  trot  b  ecame  a  gallop  soon  in  spite  of 
check  or  rein."  I  retained,  and  still  do,  a  very  vivid 
recollection  of  the  picture,  and  no  sooner  did  my 
eyes  rest  upon  one  individual  of  the  ten,  than  I  in- 
voluntarily exclaimed,  "John   Gilpin ."' 

There  was  no  resemblance  in  point  of  flesh  and 
rotundity — right  the  reverse  ;  but  it  was  the  position 
of  the  body,  and  the  peculiar  cast  of  all  the  limbs. 


VOYAGE    AROUND    THE    WORLD.  201 

The  name  obtained,  and  he  was  henceforth  known 
as  "John  Gilpin."  This  worthy's  age  had  been 
given  as  twenty- eight  years.  One  gazing  on  his  in- 
describable face,  and  observing  how  squarely  it  was 
framed  of  great  bones  whereon  was  no  flesh,  would 
have  said  "  a  centenarian,"  for  there  was  nothing 
juvenile  in  his  appearance.  That  face  of  his  was 
near  akin  to  Death's  head.     It  was  almost  frightful. 

"  There's  an  old  customer,"  said  the  carpenter, 
referring  to  John  Gilpin. 

"  Only  twenty-eight,"  I  said. 

"  Hoot !  "  said  he,  "  I  have  seen  him  before.  He 
is  reputed  to  be  vastly  more  than  a  century  old. 
Look  at  his  teeth.  (They  were  not  quite  as  large 
as  gravestones,  as  were  the  Giant  "  Eat-'em-all's," 
nevertheless,  they  were  uncommon  teeth.)  They 
say,"  continued  the  carpenter,  "that he  helped  to  eat 
up  Capt.  Cook — the  old  rascal !  " 

By  the  way,  what  did  become  of  Capt.  Cook's 
flesh?  His  bones  were  recovered.  For  what  pur- 
pose did  the  natives  remove  the  flesh  ?  Might  it 
not  have  served  them  for  a  meal  ?  Remember  they 
were  caunibals,  upon  the    captain's    own    authority. 

Another  Kanaka  was  called  "Big  Man."  Why? 
Because  he  was  a  big  man.  Another  was  dubbed 
"  Dan  Gideon."  Why,  again  ?  I  don't  know,  I'm 
sure.      "John    Steward"   was    the  name   bestowed 


202  REMINISCENCES    OF    A 

upon  the  youngest  ;  and  the  most  intelligent  of  the 
ten  was  known  as  "  Little  Bill." 

June  12th  the  pilot,  an  old  Englishman  of  the 
exact  complexion  of  a  carrot,  and  of  the  exact  shape, 
from  the  shoulders  down,  of  a  short,  thick  one,  came 
on  board.  We  unmoored  and  made  sail.  Instead 
of  passing  out  canal  fashion,  as  we  entered,  we 
glided  swiftly  out  between  the  reefs  before  a  brisk 
breeze.  Just  outside  we  hove  to.  The  pilot's  boat 
was  hauled  up  to  the  gangway,  and  wishing  us  a 
quick  and  pleasant  passage,  he  descended  the  side 
— the  oars  of  his  Kanakas  fell  with  man-of-war's 
precision,  and  the  boat  shot  back  into  the  harbor. 

"A  quick  and  pleasant  passage!"  Oh,  pilot, 
pilot,  pilot,  could  we  have  foreseen  how  different 
must  be  our  fate  from  your  kind  wishes,  sad  indeed 
would  our  hearts  have  been ! 

We  filled  away  again.  The  wind  was  fair.  Sail 
after  sail  was  spread  as  quickly  as  our  awkward 
crew  could  work.  All  the  long  day  we  labored, 
expostulated,  and  gesticulated^  but  the  sun  was  far 
down  before  the  anchors  were  secured,  chains  stowed, 
and  order  restored  about  decks. 

There  had  been  laid  in,  for  ship  use,  quite  a 
stock  of  squashes,  potatoes,  and  pigs.  Particularly 
did  we  have  a  large  quantity  of  squashes.  The  rail 
across  the  forward  part  of  the  poop  deck  was  closely 
hung  with  them,  and  the  quarter  boat  nearly  filled. 


VOYAGE    AROUND    THE    WORLD.  203 

Joe  Bacon  and  myself,  representing  the  more 
youthful  portion  of  our  little  community,  had  pri- 
vately catered  for  ourselves,  and  our  purchases,  in 
the  shape  of  cocoa  nuts  and  watermelons,  were 
stowed  away  in  a  berth  in  the  forward  cabin. 

Cocoa  nuts  are  about  one  thing  the  world  over; 
but  there  was  something  about  the  flavor  of  the 
watermelons  of  Honolulu,  "  all  their  own."  I  had 
eaten  them  at  home,  and,  I  regret  to  say  it,  had 
stolen  them  from  the  neighbors'  gardens  and  eaten 
them.  And  at  the  Academy  and  at  college,  I  have 
since  aided  in  the  consumption  of  these  vegetables 
(how  obtained  does  not  matter  now),  but  never  have 
I  met  with  any,  anywhere,  at  all  comparable  with 
these  of  Hawaiian  growth.  Had  they  too,  been 
stolen,  and  possessed  the  added  sweetness  of  stolen 
fruit,  they  would  have  rivaled  Ambrosia. 

After  supper,  filled  with  a  spirit  of  observation, 
I  went  forward  to  see  how  the  Kanakas  came  on. 
It  was  their  supper  time,  and  I  found  them  con- 
gregated between  the  foremast  and  the  windlass. 
Two  or  three  wei*2  eating  from  a  large  panful]  of 
stewed  beans,  but  the  greater  part  were  sitting  about 
in  a  delightful  state  of  sea-sickness. 

All  at  once  the  ship  gave  three  or  four  unaccount- 
able rolls.  The  first  was  not  violent,  and  nothing 
moved  on  deck,  but  the  second  was  violent,  and 
pitched  the  sea-sick  Kanakas  down  against  the  rail 


204  REMINISCENCES    OF    A 

on  the  port  side.  The  third  roll  sent  the  well  Ka- 
nakas clown  upon  their  already  prostrate  companions. 
And  the  barrel  which  supported  their  bean  stew, 
losing  its  bearings,  pitched  the  bean  dish  bottom- 
side  upwards  upon  the  poor  fellows — hot  gravy  upon 
cold  meat.  The  ship,  rolling  with  increasing  violence 
back  to  starboard,  nearly  threw  me  from  the  fore- 
castle. I  caught  by  the  paul  bits,  and,  luckily,  held 
on.  Every  moveable  thing  on  deck  wTas  in  motion. 
With  a  grand  crash  and  rattle,  a  number  of  empty 
barrels  dashed  about  between  decks.  The  iron 
hooks  of  the  blocks,  as  the  opposite  yard  arms 
pointed,  now  up,  and  now  down,  grated  in  the  eye- 
bolts,  and  the  blocks  themselves  thumped  heavily 
on  the  yards.  The  iron  trusses  of  the  lower  yards 
snapped  and  squeaked,  the  chain  topsail  sheets 
clanked  against  the  yards  and  masts,  the  square  sails 
spilled,  and  the  jibs  threshed  against  the  stays.  All 
this  occurring  at  that  mysterious  hour  when  dark- 
ness has  half  gained  the  mastery  over  light,  brought 
ten  thousand  undefined  terrors  to  the  souls  of  the 
Kanakas,  and  to  the  universal  uproar  they  added 
their  demi-savage  groans,  shrieks  and  expostulations. 
Just  then  the  Doctor  issued  from  the  galley  to  see 
what  was  to  pay.  He  had  been  eating  his  own 
supper,  and  the  interruption  provoked  him  ;  but  he 
Avas  rendered  doublv  indignant  when  he  beheld  tho 
fate  of  the  supper  he  had  prepared  for  the  Kanakas. 
His  accustomed  silence  was  broken. 


VOYAGE    AROUND    TIIE    "WORLD.  205 

u  How's  dis?"  he  said  to  the  Kanakas,  who  were 
trying  to  regain  their  feet.  "  Been  a  eutin1  wid  de 
hogs  ?  Spose  you  eat  wid  'em  all  do  time  ?  Dey's 
de  neatest  ob  de  two,  dat's  sartio.  I'll  ask  de  cap- 
en  to  hab  a  big  trough  made.  If  dat's  de  way  de 
beans  go,  dar  won't  be  many  'board  dis  ship  afore 
soon.  Jes'  go  right  'long  an'  clean  up  dat  ar 
mess,  now !  " 

Having  relieved  his  mind,  the  Doctor  returned 
to  finish  his  supper.  It  was  a  ridiculous  scene,  taken 
altogether,  and  pretty  soon  the  well  Kanakas  began 
to  appreciate  it.  First,  sundry  diabolical  grins  were 
interchanged,  then  followed  pantomimic  action,  and 
then  barbarous  words,  and,  at  length,  by  way  of 
pleasantry,  they  made  feints  to,  and  actually  did 
lick  the  bean  soup  off  from  each  other. 

It  has  been  a  mystery  to  me  ever  since,  what 
caused  the  ship  to  roll  so  furiously,  just  then.  Save 
the  long  ocean  roll  with  which  we  were  running, 
the  water  was  not  much  agitated,  for  the  wind  was 
light.     She  had  rolled  none  before  during  the  day, 

cd  o  *j  * 

nor  did  phe  any  more  after  she  was  through  with 
those  violent  vibrations.  It  might  have  been  that 
the  helmsman  let  her  swerve  so  far  from  her  course 
that  the  long  swell  came  on  her  quarter. 

Through  the  night  the  weather  was  pleasant  and 

CD  O  A 

the  wind  light.     And  the  succeeding  day  was   also 

CD  <-J  *■ 

very  pleasant.     After  breakfast  the  arduous  task  of 


206  BEMINISCENCES    OF    A 

drilling  our  crew  commenced.  Tney  were  mustered 
upon  the  poop  deck,  and  the  boatswain  instructed 
to  harangue  them  to  this  effect : 

"  You  will  now  be  taught  how  to  make  and  take 
in  sail,  and  you  must  pay  particular  attention,  and 
learn  to  do  it  all  very  well  and  very  quickly." 

The  mizzen  topgallant  sail  was  then  clewed  up. 
The  attention  of  the  Kanakas  was  called  to  the 
halliards — how  the  yard  was  raised  and  lowered  by 
them ;  to  the  clew  lines — how  they  gathered  up  the 
corners  of  the  sail;  to  the  buntlines — how  they  raised 
the  foot.  Then  they  were  tuld  that  what  was  done 
with  this  sail  was  a  common  process  with  the  other 
similar  sails.     They  were  then  exercised  in  furling  it. 

Next  the  mizzen  topsail  was  taken  in  hand,  reef- 
ed, double  reefed,  and  furled.  Then  both  sails  were 
set  again.  This  was  repeated  several  times,  both 
in  the  forenoon  and  afternoon.  As  we  were  running 
directly  before  the  wind,  this  practice  upon  the  sails 
of  the  mizzen  mast  did  not  affect  the  speed  of  the 
ship.  Lessons  were  also  given  the  Kanakas  in 
steering. 

The  next  day  the  exercise  was  resumed,  and 
they  were  additionally  drilled  in  hauling  up  the 
courses,  handling  the  jibs,  etc.  These  exercises 
were  continued  many  succeeding  days,  Providence 
favoring  us  with  fine  winds  and  weather,  for  what 
we  had  to  do. 


VOYAGE    AROUND     TIIE    WORLD.  20Y 

One  or  two  of  our  scholars,  Little  Bill,  in  par- 
ticular, showed  some  aptitude,  catching  quite  readily 
at  names  and  ways  of  doing  things.  But  by  far 
the  greater  part  had  a  natural  fund  of  stupidity, 
which  neither  art  nor  perseverance  could  exhaust. 
Especially  was  this  true  of  John  Gilpin.  If  he  was 
told  to  find  even  the  main  topsail  halliards,  he  would 
turn  in  every  direction,  with  a  ghastly  grin  on  his 
anatomy  of  a  face,  thrusting  his  hands  in  this  way, 
and  that.  As  for  finding  the  halliards  in  question, 
he  could  not  do  it.  Practice,  far  from  making  him 
perfect,  did  not  enlighten  him  in  the  least. 

A  very  mortifying  fact  came  to  light  during  this 
course  of  instruction  in  nautical  art.  We  soon  no- 
ticed that  the  boatswain,  although  he  spoke  in  a 
tongue  unknown  to  us,  did  not  seem  to  be  well  un- 
derstood by  the  Kanakas,  whose  countryman  he  had 
represented  himself  to  be.  At  length  their  mis- 
understandings became  so  great  that  the  matter  was 
investigated.  After  much  ingenious  inquiry  it  was 
ascertained  that  Mr.  Boatswain  wras  not  a  Sandwich 
Islander,  but  a  native  of  Tahiti.  The  Kanakas  could 
comprehend  a  part  of  what  he  said,  but  not  all. 
"Whether  they  understood  from  a  similarity  of  the 
Hawaiian  dialect  to  the  Tahitian,  or  the  boatswain 
had  partially  mastered  the  former,  I  do  not  now 
remember.  One  way  or  the  other  it  must  have 
been,  for  while  they  understood  him  in  part,  they 
were  also  perplexed  in   part. 


208  REMINISCENCES     OF    A 

Knowing  the  bloodthirsty  character,  and  piratical 
tendencies  of  the  natives  of  the  islands  among  which 
we  were  to  pass,  my  father  had  purchased  in  Hon- 
olulu, several  army  muskets,  and  an  abundant  supply 
of  powder  and  ball.  The  carpenter  was  also  direct- 
ed to  construct  a  carriage  for  a  brass  four-pounder 
which  was  on   board. 

When  the  carriage  was  completed  and  the  gun 
mounted,  upon  it,  it  was  remembered  that,  to  be 
effective,  something  was  required  in  the  loading 
besides  powder.  We  had  plenty  of  that,  but  no 
cannon  balls.  u  Xecessitv  is  the  mother  of  invention." 
There  were  on  board  several  tons  of  spikes,  varying 
in  length  from  four  to  ten  inches.  We  made  up 
parcels  of  these,  and  they  proved  on  trial,  to  be  very 
formidable  missiles. 

It  now  occurs  to  me  that  I  have  not  designated 
by  what  passage  my  father  intended  to  pass  the 
East  Indian  Archipelago.  He  had  never  navigated 
those  seas,  and  had,  therefore,  asked  advice,  and 
consulted  many  authorities  on  the  subject.  He  was 
generally  advised  to  sail  by  the  Gilolo  and  O  nib  ay 
passages.  It  was  declared  to  him  that  fair  winds, 
fair  currents  aud  fair  weather,  prevailed  there  at 
that  season.  Just  consult  the  proper  map  in  the 
Atlas,  and  you  will  see  the  direction  in  which  we 
were  to  go.  The  Gilolo  Passage  lies  between  the 
Island  of  Gilolo  and  the  small  islands  lying  around 


VOYAGE  AROUND  THE  WORLD.         209 

the  northern  end  of  Papua,  or  New  Guinea.  To 
reach  the  Ombay  Passage  from  there,  one  must  sail 
through  Pitt's  Passage,  by  the  northern  end  of 
Bouro,  and  thence  southward  across  the  Banda  Sea. 
Ombay  Passage  is  between  Timor  and  the  small 
Island  of  Ombay,  to  the  north,  and  leads  into  the 
open  Indian  Ocean. 

The  advice  received  in  regard  to  this  route  was 
backed  up  by  books.  Miserable,  miserable  advice 
it  was,  and  lying  books  they  were  taat  confirmed  it. 


vOT*«e  Around  the  TCorld.  *^ 


210  XEMINTSCEWCEC    OF    A. 


CHAPTER    XIX. 


ILLNESS. A    MUTINY. — -THE  LADRONES. 

HE  twenty-second  day  of  the  month  I  be- 
came ill  with  dysentery.  It  might  have 
been  brought  on  by  eating  too  freely  of  watermelons 
and  cocoa  nuts.  Who  can  always  say,  however, 
whence  disease  comes? 

I  only  know  that  this  came  with  unusual  vio- 
lence. It  was  after  six  in  the  evening  when  I  ex- 
perienced the  first  unpleasant  sensation.  At  four, 
the  succeeding  morning,  so  much  had  it  prostrated 
me  that,  while  crossing  the  cabin,  I  fainted  and  fell. 
My  father,  who  was  present,  raised  me  and  laid  me 
upon  the  transom  in  his  state  room.  Just  above 
me  (a  cause  for  gratitude  in  that  hot  clime,)  was  a 
window  that  admitted  cool  air.  As  days  passed  by, 
to  increasing  helplessness  was  joined  mental  aber- 
ration. When  taken  ill  I  was  reading,  for  the  first 
time,  Cooper's  "Last  of  the  Mohicans."  I  had 
reached  tire  point  where  Ilawkeye  and  his  insepa- 
rable friends  rescue  Duncan  Hey  ward's  party  from 
the  grasp  of  Magna,  on  the  summit  of    the    mound 


VOYAGE     AROUND    THE    WORLD.  211 

whither  he  had  led  them.  Of  course  I  had  been 
absorbed  in  the  tale.  What  boy,  reading  it,  for  the 
first  time,  is  not?  And  now  my  wandering  mind 
went  forth  to  mingle  in  the  stirring  scenes  described 
and  to  engage  with  the  same  actors  in  new  ones. 
I  participated  in  the  event  fid  night  in  the  cavern 
on  the  rocky  island  at  Glenn's.  My  blood,  was  cur- 
dled by  the  strange  sounds,  which,  rising  from  the 
river's  bed,  Ilawkeye  declared  not  to  be  of  earth. 
"When  day  broke,  I  fought  the  Hurons  across  the 
tumbling  water.  I  conversed  with  Chin gaeh gook, 
with  Hawkeye,  and  with  Uncas,  as  though  they  were 
always  by  my  side.  And  so,  for  days,  I  lived  in 
an  unreal  world.  Beings  who  had  no  existence  were 
my  companions — my  haunts  were  strange  localities, 
thousands  of  leagues  away.  Yet  through  all  this  I 
saw,  darkly  and  dreamily,  the  real  world  about  me. 
I  knew  that  disease  was  Avasting  me  away.  I  saw, 
dimly,  my  father  and  brother  moving  before  me. 
I  could  discern  pity  upon  their  countenances,  and 
often  anguish.  I  was  conscious  of  the  bounding 
motion  of  the  ship,  and  the  rain  pattering  upon  deck, 
above,  made  grateful  music  in  my  ears.  After  a  few 
days,  my  mind  returned  from  its  wanderings.  The 
first  violence  of  the  attack  had  ceased,  and  languor 
and  listlessness  succeeded  ;  but  the  disease  was  un- 
checked. The  usual  remedies  prescribed  for  such 
cases  were  powerless,  and  I  soon  became-   feverish. 


212  EEMINISCEXCES     OP    A 

Then  water  was  denied  me,  in  accordance  with  the 
old  time  custom  of  treating  fevers. 

We  were  in  the  Torrid  Zone  and  under  a  verti- 
cal sun.  Of  course  it  was  hot— hot  as  the  breath 
of  a  furnace.  Oh,  how  hard  it  was  to  lie  there 
and  wrestle  with  niv  fierce  thirst !  By  dav,  all  my 
thoughts  were  of  water.  I  called  to  mind  the  many 
pleasant  springs  upon  the  old  homestead.  I  saw 
them  gushing  out  from  the  cleft  ledges.  How 
well  the  mental  eye  replaces  what  the  physical  eye  has 
lost !  I  seemed  to  stand  by  one  particular  spring  in 
the  Held,  whose  cool,  clear  water  I  had  often  drank. 
I  watched  it  bubbling  up  from  its  reservoir  which 
was  never  exhausted.  The  gray  sand  rose  and  fell, 
moved  by    the    gushing   water.      The    Green    grass 

*j  CD  CD  CD  O 

swayed  and  waved  about  the  margin.  The  golden 
buttercups  nodded;  and,  just  within  the  bounds  of 
hearing,  the  wind  passed  with  a  rustling  sound 
through  the  leaves  and  branches  of  an  ash.      Now 

CD 

balancing  on  his  wings   and  now  alighting  on  a  twig 

•■-J  CD       J  CD  CD  CD* 

of  elder,  a  bob  0  link  was  caroling  his  joyous  song. 
The  great  sun  was  overhead,  and  not  a  cloud  floated 
in  the  clear,  azure  heaven.  What  dispelled  this 
pretty  illusion?  I  knelt  down  to  drink.  As  I  bent 
nearer  and  nearer  mv  face  was  mirrored  below  me ; 
but  when  my  lips  were  almost  touching,  fancy  took 
flight,  and  the  hard  reality,  burning  thirst  and  no 
water,  only  was  loft  me.     Then,  with  all  mv  remain- 


VOYAGE  AROUXD  THE  WORLD.         213 

ing  strength,  I  would  toss  myself  on  my  hard  bed, 
and  moan. 

By  night,  when  I  was  sleeping,  it  was  much  the 
same.  I  dreamed  of  water.  Then  I  was,  of  course, 
more  comfortable  than  during  the  day.  That  fierce 
sun  was  then  set  whose  beams  heated,  to  an  un- 
bearable degree,  the  atmosphere  about.  But  water 
is  required  to  slake  thirst,  and  no  sooner  did  I  sleep 
than  I  thought  of  it  in  dreams.  Often  I  seemed  to 
be  in  Rio,  walking  by  its  pleasant  fountains.  Great 
thirst  had  made  me  extravagant.  I  drank  water  by 
the  hogshead.  But  the  waking  dispersed  all  such 
luxurious  fancies.  Oh  !  there  is  no  humanity  in  an 
idea  that  denies  water  to  any  living  creature.  May 
they  be  few  who  perish  of  thirst ! 

Once  in  a  while  I  was  permitted  to  moisten  my 
throat  with  water  in  which  burned  bread  had  been 
soaked.  That  was  something,  but  it  was  far  from 
quenching  thirst. 

In  my  pain,  weakness,  and  bewilderment,  I  lost 
all  knowledge  of  time.  The  light  told  me  that  day 
had  come,  and  the  darkness  that  it  had  gone  again. 
And  a  day  seemed  intolerably  long — more  like  a 
week,  or  month,  than  just  a  day. 

The  carpenter,  who  possessed  no  mean  skill  in 
medicine,  was  consulting  physician.  Where  there 
is  no  regular  physician  on  board  a  ship,  the  captain 
is  physician,  ex  officio. 


214  REMINISCENCED     OF    A 

I  grew  rapidly  worse.  "  The  undiscovered 
country  from  whose  bourne  no  traveler  returns — • 
that  universal  asylum  where  the  wicked  cease  from 
troubling,  and  the  weary  are  at  rest,"  was,  seem- 
ingly, not  far  off  from  me. 

Bnt  at  length  they  brought  me  a  remedy,  of 
which  my  recollections  are  indistinct.  The  proper 
quantities  were  given  me  at  the  proper  times,  and 
very  soon  the  disease  was  checked.  "When  it  be- 
came evident  that  I  was  really  recovering,  the  car- 
penter informed  me  that  the  last  remedy  was  a 
desperate  one,  and  that,  while  he  had  one  hope  that 
I  would  rally,  he  had  nine  fears  that  1  would  die. 
I  don't  remember  what  my  sensations  were  when 
this  revelation  was  made,  but,  undoubtedly,  I  saw 
reason  for  rejoicing. 

One  day  as  I  lay  half  asleep — and  consequently 
half  awake — there  came  from  the  fore  part  of  the 
ship  a  thundering  report.  The  cabin  windows  rat- 
tled, and  the  ship  herself  quivered. 

"  What  was  that  ?"  I  asked  of  the  first  one  that 
came  near.  j 

"  The  cannon.  This  is  Independence  Day.  We 
have  the  colors  up,  too." 

"  Where  are  we?" 

"Just  to  the  eastward  of  the  Ladrone  Islands." 

With  this  information  I  was  again  left  to  my 
reflections. 


VOYAGE  AROUND  THE  WORLD.         215 

Not  long  thereafter,  a  bustle  on  deck  drew  my 
attention.  I  listened,  and  presently  knew  that  the 
studding  sails  were  running  down.  Soon  a  current 
of  air,  cool  and  refreshing,  poured  through  the  open 
window  above  my  head.  Then  a  hoarse  sound  was 
audible  without.  A  rain  storm  was  rushing  along 
the  water.  Soon  drops  fell  on  the  deck  overhead, 
at  first  slowly,  then  fast  and  furiously.  Lulled  by 
the  sound,  I  fell  asleep.  When  I  awoke  the  rain 
had  ceased.     My  father  was  standing  near  by. 

"We  have  had  mutiny  on  board,"  he  said. 

"When?" 

"  To-day." 

And  he  told  me  the  circumstances: 

Just  after  meridian,  the  weather  appeared  squally. 
It  was  advisable  to  begin  to  reduce  sail  early  with 
such  a  crew,  and  the  order  was  immediately  given 
to  haul  down  the  studding  sails.  This  was  done 
under  the  supervision  of  the  mate.  While  engaged 
in  making  up  the  foretopmast  studding  sail,  he  be- 
came so  enraged  at  the  stupidity  of  the  Kanakas, 
that  he  kicked  one  fiercely  several  times.  Instantly 
the  sail  was  dropped,  and  the  whole  posse  laid  vio- 
lent hands  on  him.  The  boatswain,  also,  sprang 
from  the  other  side  of  the  deck  to  aid  in  the  launch 
overboard — for  overboard  they  designed  to  put  the 
mate.  But,  as  he  sprang  forward,  a  rope  rolled 
under  his  feet,  and  he  fell  so  heavily  on  his  breast 


216  REMINISCENCES    OF    A 

across  the  breech  of  the  gun,  which  was  in  front 
of  him,  that  the  blood  gushed  from  his  mouth  and 
nostrils.  By  this  time  the  Kanakas  had  gathered 
the  mate  up  in  their  arms,  and  had  him  near  enough 
to  the  low  rail  of  the  forecastle  to  say  "  Launch 
Ho,"  had  they  been  sailors,  and  known  English 
enough.  Not  a  word  was  spoken,  however.  The 
Kanakas  were  silent  from  policy,  the  mate  from 
pride  and  mortification.  In  this  desperate  emergen- 
cy, the  carpenter  came  bounding  to  the  rescue. 
Coming  up  from  his  beach  between  decks,  for  some- 
thing, he  had  seen  the  perilous  condition  of  the 
mate.  Springing  to  the  forecastle  with  the  speed 
of  thought,  he  knocked  down  three  of  the  savages. 
The  mate  was  dropped,  and,  luckily,  inboard.  The 
Kanakas  turned  upon  their  new  enemy.  And  to 
their  aid  young  John  Steward  came  rushing  from 
the  galley,  with  great  enthusiasm.  He  mounted  the 
forecastle,  caught  up  a  capstan  bar,  and  directed  a 
blow  at  the  carpenter.  This  was  easily  eluded,  and 
before  John  could  recover  from  the  force  of  his  own 
blow,  the  pale,  slim  carpenter  planted  his  fist  be- 
tween his  eyes,  and  he  performed  a  complete  back 
somersault  off  the  forecastle,  and  fell  head  foremost 
into  the  wash-deck  tub  on  the  main  deck  beneath. 
At  this  point,  the  condition  of  affairs  was  observed 
from  the  poop  deck.  Joe  Bacon  was  on  the  end 
of  the  spanker  gaff  for  the   purpose  of  painting   it. 


VOYAGE  AROUND  THE  WORLD.         21 7 

My  brother  had  just  hoisted  a  keg  of  panic  up  to 
him,  by  the  ensign  halliards,  and  my  father  was 
hauling  taut  on  the  spanker  vangs,  to  steady  the 
gaff.  The  two  latter  immediately  ran  forward,  and 
Joe,  dropping  his  brush  into  the  bucket,  grasped 
one  of  the  vangs,  slid  down,  and  followed  after  with 
all  speed.  But  before  they  could  reach  the  scene 
of  action,  the  conflict  was  renewed.  This  time  the 
combatants  were  on  the  main  deck.  The  mate, 
grasping  a  stout  axe  handle,  which  had  been  used 
for  a  heaver,  strove  to  regain  his  lost  reputation. 
But  he  was  soon  thrown  down,  and  ignominiously 
jerked  about  the  deck  by  his  hair,  legs  and  arms. 
The  reinforcements  coming  up,  the  battle  became 
general. 

On  one  side  was  legitimate  authority,  represented 
by  five  whites  and  one  black  man — for  the  Doctor 
had  issued  from  the  galley  grasping  his  long  iron 
poker.  On  the  other  side  was  rank  mutiny,  per- 
sonified by  nine,  tawny  savages.  The  issue  was  not 
long  doubtful,  however.  The  presence  of  the  cap- 
tain seemed  to  stagger  the  mutineers.  They  had  a 
wholesome  fear  of  his  office,  and  his  gigantic  pro- 
portions were  also*  greatly  in  his  favor.  In  a  few 
minutes  the  foremost  Kanakas  were  forcibly  and 
securely  ironed,  and  the  remainder  surrendered  at 
discretion.   ■ 

A  review  of  the  field   srave  the  following   list  of 


218  REMINISCENCES    OF     A 

casualties  :  The  boatswain  was  severely  hurt  by  his 
fall.  With  admirable  tact,  he  changed  sides,  and 
declared  he  fell  while  hurrying  to  rescue  the  mate. 
The  contrary  was  known,  however.  Four  Kanakas 
had  swollen  eyes,  and  a  fifth,  John  Steward,  had  a 
large  piece  of  scalp  knocked  off  by  coming  in  con- 
tact with  the  wash-deck  tub. 

On  our  side  (I  say  our,  because  my  sympathies 
would  have  been  enlisted  had  I  known  what  was 
transpiring,)  no  injury  was  sustained,  save  that  the 
mate's  hair  was  shockingly  pulled. 

The  next  step,  of  course,  was  to  sit  in  judgment 
on  the  offenders.  But  a  glance  to  the  westward 
forbade  all  deliberation.  In  that  quarter  both  sky 
and  water  had  assumed  a  threatening  aspect.  Dark 
clouds  hurried  up,  and  spread  themselves  along  the 
heavens.  The  north  wind  fell  down.  A  hard  squall 
was  at  hand,  and  the  ship  under  full  sail.  One 
course  was  necessary  with  the  refractory  Kanakas. 
Briefly  and  earnestly  the  captain  informed  them 
through  the  boatswain — an  imperfect  medium,  but 
one  that  answered — that  any  more  violence  would 
be  punished  by  instant  death — that  guns  and  pistols, 
and  powder  and  ball,  were  plentiful  in  the  cabin, 
and  that  henceforth  there  would  be  no  delay  in 
using  them.     So  they  must  look  out. 

The  irons  were  then  taken  off,  and  all  hands 
ordered  to  take  in  sail.     Away  went  the   Kanakas, 


VOYAGE    ABOUND    THE    WORLD.  219 

headlong,  treacling  on  each    others'    heels,    all   zeal, 
and  all  cheerfulness. 

The  -whole  thing  proceeded  from  dislike  to  the 
male.  If  any  heart  on  board  really  contained  any- 
thing regularly  mutinous  and  sinister,  that  heart 
was  in  the  breast  that  was  bruised  on  the  gun — 
the  boatswain's.  Thenceforward,  however,  he  con- 
trolled himself.  His  hurt  was  internal,  and  did  not 
heal.  While  with  us  he  was  weak,  and  bled  often 
at  the  lungs,  and  when  he  left  us,  at  Calcutta,  it 
was  evident  that  his  life  must  be  short. 

As  for  the  Kanakas,  it  was,  probably,  their  in- 
tention to  finish  making  up  the  studding  sails  after 
thev  had  thrown  the  mate  overboard.  Beyond  an 
impulse  to  take  vengeance  for  the  kicks  and  blows 
they  had  received,  they  were  innocent,  I  think, 
though  they  did  seem  to  act  in  concert. 

The  affray  demonstrated  that  a  Kanaka  is  not 
formidable  in  a  rough  and  tumble  fight  with  a  white 
man.  His  aim  in  such  encounters  is  to  grapple  his 
opponent,  hug  him,  and  break  his  limbs.  He  does 
not  seem  to  have  any  conception  of  a  trip  or  a 
blow.  And  when  he  sees  a  bit  of  his  own  blood 
he  is  disheartened.  I  may  not  present  Kanaka  pug- 
nacity correctly,  but  exactly  as  it  displayed  itself 
in  our  crew. 

July  5th  Guam  was  in  sight  away  to  the  north. 
This  island  is  one  of  the  largest   of   the   Ladrones, 


220  REMINISCENCES    OF    A 

and  lies  farthest  to  the  south.  Magellan  so  named 
these  islands  on  account  of  the  thievish  disposition 
of  their  inhabitants.  Ladron  is  a  Spanish  word,  and 
signifies  a  thief  or  a  robber. 

They  are  also  called  the  Marianne  Islands,  from 
a  Queen  of  Spain  who  sent  out  missionaries  to  con- 
vert the  heathen. 

This  group  seems  to  have  been  much  frequented 
by  the  old  navigators.  Besides  Magellan,  their  dis- 
coverer, Clipperton,  Anson,  Byron,  Wallis,  and  others 
visited  them.  They  were  discovered  in  1521,  and 
pertain  to  Spain. 


VOYAGE    AROUND    TIIE    WORLD.  221 


CHAPTER  XX. 


SWINGING    ROUND     THE     CIRCLE." — A     QUESTION     OF 
TIME. GILLOLO. A    HARD    HEAD. 

J  ULY  20th,  we  passed  within  sixteen  miles  of 
Mariere,  an  island  lying  near  the  north-east 
entrance  to  the  Gillolo  Passage.  The  days  inter- 
vening between  the  fourth  and  twentieth  had  given 
ns  a  sad  experience.  We  found  we  had  been  wholly 
deceived  in  regard  to  the  navigation  here,  at  this 
season  of  the  year,  at  least.  The  prevailing  wind 
was  a  westerly  one,  and  we  encountered  not  less 
than  a  three-knot  current  setting  to  the  north-east, 
a  deflection  of  the  great  equatorial  current,  caused 
by  the  dense  congregation  of  islands.  In  the 
sixteen  days  we  had  gained  only  about  S00  miles. 
It  was  discouraging — the  more  so,  because  contrary 
to  expectation.  The  sixteen  days,  however,  had 
wrought  better  things  for  me  than  for  the  ship. 

When  Mariere  came  into  view  I  was  able  to  go 
on  deck  and  behold  it.  There  can  be  no  doubt  but 
every  rational  being,  who  does  not    actually  desire 


222  REMINISCENCES     OF     A 

to  die,  is,  after  illness,  very  grateful  for  the  return 
of  health.     At  least,  that  was  ray  experience. 

Let  me  now  give,  briefly,  an  account  of  our 
progress  for  the  eleven  days  immediately  succeed- 
ing. Our  course  lay  W.  S.  W.  for  the  Gillolo  Pas- 
sage, which  I  located  in  a  former  chapter.  Let  it 
be  remembered,  now,  that  such  was  our  course  and 
our  position  (sixteen  miles  south  of  Mariere)  at  noon 
of  July  20th.  And  also,  let  it  be  borne  in  mind 
that  all  that  men  could  do  to  press  the  ship  for- 
ward upon  htr  course,  was  done. 

Well,  at  noon  of  the  21st,  we  were  55  miles  to 
the  south  of  Mariere.  At  noon  of  the  22d  we  wero 
45  miles  S.  S.  W.  At  noon  of  the  23d  we  were 
100  miles  W.  At  noon  of  the  24th  we  were  176 
miles  N.  W.  by  W.  At  noon  of  the  25th  we  were 
175  miles  N".  W.  At  noon  of  the  26th  we  were  185 
miles  N.  W.  At  noon  of  the  27th  we  were  240 
miles  N.  W.  by  N.  At  noon  of  the  28th  we  were 
200  miles  N.  N.  W.  At  noon  of  the  29th  we  were 
60  miles  N".  E.  by  E.  At  noon  of  the  30th  we  were 
50  miles  E.  N.  E.  At  noon  of  the  Slst  we  were  12 
miles  S:  by  IV.  The  circuit  was  completed.  We 
had  circumnavigated  Mariere.  The  20th  had  gone, 
the  31st  had  come,  and  in  the  interval,  a  period  of 
gales  and  calms,  we  had  gained  nothing.  We  were 
four  miles  from  our  position  of  the  20th,  but  no 
further  on  our  way.     Mariere,  to  which  we  had  said 


VOYAGE    AROUXD    THE    WORLD.  223 

farewell  on  the  20th,  was  nearer  on  the  31st,  In 
27  days  we  had  gained  800  miles — about  30  miles 
a  day.     Was  it  not  discouraging  ? 

It  was  afternoon  when  I  went  on  deck  a  second 
time  to  look  at  Mariere.  Though  nearer  than  it  was 
before,  nothing  could  be  distinguished  about  it,  save 
a  very  well  defined  outline.  It  is  a  low  island, 
round  in  form,  and  about  two  miles  in  diameter. 

It  was  far  from  being  a  pleasant  day.  The  sky 
was  dull  and  overcast.  The  ship  was  running 
towards  the  X.  W.  under  easy  sail.  Now  and  then 
the  branch  of  a  tree,  or  its  trunk,  or  its  roots,  or 
the  whole  tree,  would  appear  floating.  Such  mnsij 
have  come  from  the  islands  away  to  windward.  All 
these  objects  were  surrounded  by  multitudes  of  little 
fishes,  and  occasionally  we  saw  great,  bulky  turtles 
lying  alongside  of  the  trunks. 

I  was  much  better  in  health  than  when  Mariere 
lay  in  view  before.  I  was  stronger,  and  appetite 
returning.  Blood  was  thickening,  and  flesh  and  fat 
growing  again. 

As  the  ship  glided  by  branch  after  branch,  I 
remembered  that  such  things  once  testified  to  Col- 
umbus of  an  undiscovered  land.  It  was  easy  for 
me,  under  such  circumstances,  to  fancy  that  I  saw 
the  eager  Admiral,  impatiently  pacing  the  deck  of 
his  vessel,  glancing:  now  down  at  these  tokens  of 
land  in  the  water,  then  forward,  as  if  he  would  over- 


224  REMINISCENCES    OP    A 

come  space  by  the  sense  of  sight,  and   discern   the 
place  of  their  nativity. 

Well,  good  bye  again,  Mariere.  Thy  name  should 
have  been  AHserere.  Then  how  appropriate  would 
it  be  upon  our  tongues ! 

Towards  night  the  wind  changed  more  to  the 
south,  and  held  in  that  quarter  until  the  following 
night.  With  this  wind  we  could  run  for  the  Mo- 
lucca Passage,  north  of  Gillolo,  at  an  easy  bowline, 
while  we  could  not  head  up  for  the  Gillolo  Passage 
by  several  points.  Under  the  circumstances  it  was 
decided  to  abandon  the  latter  route  for  the  Molucca 
Passage.     Both  Jed  into  Pitt's  Passage. 

At  the  end  of  forty-eight  hours  we  were  250 
miles  from  Mariere.  This  was  such  good  progress, 
comparatively,  that  a  glow  of  encouragement  came 
over  all.  In  the  exuberance  of  our  joy  it  was  re- 
solved to  scale  the  gun.  To  test  its  efficiency  in 
shattering  piratical  proas,  a  charge  of  eight-inch 
spikes  was  put  in.  On  the  weather  bow,  about  400 
yards  off,  was  a  bunch  of  sea-weed.  This  was 
chosen  for  a  mark.  The  carpenter  was  also  gunner. 
He  trained  the  piece  upon  the  floating  mass,  and 
at  a  signal  from  him,  it  was  discharged  by  the  Doc- 
tor, who  used  for  a  linstock  his  poker,  one  end  of 
which  wTas  red  hot.  For  an  instant  the  air  was  rent 
by  the  whistling  spikes,  then  fragments  of  the  sea- 
weed flew  up  as  the    dark    water    grew    white    be- 


VOYAGE  AROUND  THE  WORLD.        225 

neath  the  plunging  missiles.  We  possessed  a  more 
formidable  weapon  than  we  had  supposed.  Such  a 
discharge  would  have  destroyed  any  ordinary  boat. 

It  is  said  that  firing  at  sea  will  raise  a  breeze. 
The  light  air  blowing  when  we  shot  at  the  sea-weed 
immediately  hauled  dead  ahead,  and  increased  to  a 
gale.  The  ship,  under  short  sail  and  away  down 
on  her  side,  made  as  much  leeway  as  headway. 
Oar  encouragement  changed  to  discouragement. 
Once  more  we  "  swims;  round  the  circle."  August 
9th  we  were  only  135  miles  from  Mariere.  Mariere 
— Mariere — always  Mariere.  I  won't  write  that 
name  ao-ain  ! 

A  furious  current  ran  to  the  north-east,  as 
rapidly  as  four  miles  an  hour,  certainly.  You  will 
admit  that  it  was   discouraging. 

After  the  9th  the  wind  came  from  the  south 
again,  and  we  began  to  move  in  the  right  direction 
once  more.  On  the  12th,  we  found  that  we  were 
at  fault  somewhere  in  calculating  the  position  of  the 
ship. 

The  fact  was,  that  we  had  gained  the  better  part 
of  a  day  by  sailing  so  far  to  the  westward.  So  we 
made  no  account  of  the  twelfth  day,  in  the  Xautical 
Almanac,  but  strode  across  it  to  the  thirteenth. 
That  regulated  our  reckoning.  Does  any  one  ask 
how  that  could  be?  Suppose  that  here,  in  Ann 
Arbor,  I  held  a  portable  dial  in  my  hand,  and  when 

'-  Voyage  Around  the  World.  ■*■  ^ 


226  REMINISCENCES     OF    A 

the  shade  upon  its  face  marked  nine  o'clock  Satur- 
day morning,  should,  with  the  exact  apparent  ve- 
locity of  the  sun,  pass  to  the  westward  around  the 
earth.  Every  moment  of  time  the  shade  would  in- 
dicate nine  o'clock  upon  the  dial.  And,  consequently 
wThen  I  had  made  the  circuit  of  the  earth,  and 
reached  Ann  Arbor  again,  it  would  still  be  nine 
o'clock  Saturday  morning,  with  me.  But  with  you 
it  would  be  far  otherwise.  On  your  dials  the  shade 
would  creep  up  to  twelve,  then  retire  to  six,  or 
seven,  and  the  sun  would  disappear.  Those  "lesser 
lights  that  rule  the  night"  would  succeed.  At  mid- 
night, a  new  division  of  time  would  be  ushered  in. 
In  their  turn,  the  stars  would  disappear,  and  the 
sun  would  rise  upon  Sunday  morning.  Again  the 
shade  would  begin  its  slow  march  along  the  dial 
face.  When  it  indicated  nine  o'clock,  you  would 
exclaim,  "  Nine  o'clock  Sunday  morning."  "  No," 
I  should  say,  "  it  is  Saturday  morning.  I  have  seen 
no  sun  set,  or  rise."  But  I  should  be  wrong,  you 
see.  It  would  certainly  be  Sunday.  I  had  con- 
sumed a  day,  but  its  consumption  was  not  indicated 
to  me  by  any  of  those  changes  which  mark  the 
passage  of  time. 

So  to  us,  steering  ever  westward,  contrary  to  the  ro- 
tary motion  of  the  earth,  more  than  twelve  hours  of 
time  had  passed  imperceptibly;  but,  though  we  had  not 
regarded  it  before,  it  now  became  liecessaryto  do  so. 


VOYAGE  AROUND  THE  WORLD.         227 

Edgar  A.  Poo's  story  of  the  "Three  Sabbaths 
in  One  Week,"  illustrates  this  loss  or  gain  of  a  day 
by  the  circumnavigation  of  the  globe. 

On  this  day,  which  was  ostensibly  the  12th,  but 
really  the  1.3th,  we  passed  Cape  North,  on  the  north- 
ern end  of  Morty,  ran  round  the  northern  extremity 
of  Gillolo,  and  entered  the  Molucca  Passage.  Each 
of  the  above  mentioned  islands  were  visible  as  we 
passed.  To  afford  us  an  agreeable  surprise,  the 
wind  hauled  to  the  S.  E.  The  ship  lay  her  course 
S.  S.  W.j  down  the  passage.  The  Talenading 
Islands  came  into  view  and  disappeared  on  our  lar- 
board hand.  The  water  was  smooth  and  the  wind 
light.  A  Ye  were  surprised  to  find  whales  numerous 
here.  In  every  direction  their  spouts  were  to  be 
seen  dissolving  into  mist. 

The  17th  we  passed  the  Islands  of  Tyfore  and 
Meyo,  leaving  them  on  the  starboard,  or  right  hand 
side  of  the  ship.  They  lie  about  twenty-four  miles 
apart,  and  a  little  more  than  a  third  of  the  way 
from  Gillolo  over  to  the  north-east  end  of  Celebes. 

Aug.  20th  we  crossed  the  Equinoctial  Line  for 
the  third  time.  Nine  days  from  that  time  wre  were 
in  sight  of  the  Island  of  Little  Po  Oby.  Between 
the  Xulla  Islands  and  Oby  Major,  the  passage  is 
narrowed  down  to  about  thirty  miles  in  width.  We 
had  worked  down  the  west  shore  of  Gillolo,  about 
200  miles,  agaiust   gale    and    current,    and   through 


228  REMINISCENCES    OF    A 

calms,  and  thereafter  that    island   would    lie    astern 
of  us. 

And  here  I  shall  presume  so  much  upon  the 
ignorance  of  some  of  my  readers  in  East  Indian 
geography,  as  to  give  a  little  description  of  the 
Island  of  Gillolo,  which  I  have  mentioned  so  often. 

It  is  one  of  the  largest  of  the  Moluccas,  or  Spice 
Islands,  containing  about  6,500  square  miles.  It 
cannot  fail  to  strike  the  eye,  upon  the  map,  on  ac- 
count of  its  grotesque  form.  Taking  the  middle  part 
of  it  alone  it  is  not  uncommon,  but  when  we  tack 
upon  that,  on  the  south,  a  very  long,  slender  pen- 
insula, and  upon  the  north,  a  shorter  and  more  cor- 
pulent one,  and  upon  the  north-east  another  one 
still,  it  becomes  remarkable.  It  is  not  altogethei 
unlike  some  large,  awkward  bird  upon  the  wing — 
a  goose,  or  heron,  for  instance.  The  north-east  pen- 
insula would  represent  the  tail,  the  northern  penin- 
sula and  the  middle  part  the  wings,  and  the  long 
southern  peninsula  the  neck.  This  disposition  of 
the  parts,  however,  leaves  nothing  for  a  body.  It 
cannot,  then,  altogether  resemble  a  goose  ;  but  it 
may  a  heron,  for  the  hull  of  that  bird  is  exceed- 
ingly small  compared  with  the  length  of  its  spars. 
This  singular  form  is  thought  to  be  the  result  of 
violent  volcanic  action. 

Gillolo,  like  many  of  the  adjacent  islands,  rises 
abruptly  from  an  unfathomable  sea.      This  is,  in   a 


VOYAGE    AROUXD    THE    WORLD.  229 

measure,  fatal  to  the  productiveness  of  the  land  bor- 
dering on  the  sea;  for  the  rich  soil  created  by  the 
decomposition  of  the  volcanic  rock,  is  washed  into 
the  ocean. 

Gillolo  is  situated  in  the  torrid  zone,  a  small 
part  of  it  to  the  south  of  the  Equator.  Its  climate, 
therefore,  is  subject  to  but  little  change,  but  is  al- 
ways hot  and  unhealthy  upon  the  lowlands,  always 
endurable  upon  the  upland  slopes,  and  always  de- 
lightful upon  the  hills. 

The  precious  spices,  cinnamon,  cloves,  nutmegs, 
and  pepper,  are  among  its  vegetable  productions. 
It  produces,  also,  the  breadfruit  tree,  cocoa  nut 
palm,  bananas,  and  yams.  It  also  has  the  more  com- 
mon products  of  that  clime,  such  as  rice,  sugar, 
cotton,  etc.  Its  chief  exports  are  sago,  edible  birds' 
nests,  honey,  beeswax,  sandal  wood,  ambergris,  tur- 
tle shells,  mother-of-pearl,  pearls,  and  gold  dust. 

Its  animal  productions  are  not  uncommon.  Rep- 
tiles and  insects  are  numerous.  Those  questionable 
pets,  the  monkey  and  the  parrot,  are  natives.  The 
birds  are  remarkable  for  the  brilliancy  of  their  plu- 
mage. The  Bird  of  Paradise  is  found  here,  and  on 
many  of  the  adjacent  islands. 

The  human  inhabitants  are  quite  numerous,  and 
are  of  two  races.  In  the  recesses  of  the  mountains 
live  the  native  race.  Little  is  known  of  them,  save 
that  they  are  a  kindred  race  to  that  which  inhabits 


230  REMINISCENCES    OF   A 

New  Guinea.  Their  conquerors,  the  Malays,  pos- 
sess the  sea  coast.  They  are  a  treacherous  and 
bloodthirsty  people. 

Gillolo  belongs,  nominally,  to  the  Dutch. 

What  I  have  said  of  this  island  is  true  also  with 
regard  to  the  other  Moluccas,  save  as  to  its  size, 
form,  and  locality. 

We  continued  to  work  slowly  along.  Sept.  3d 
the  Island  of  Xulla  Bessy  was  in  sight  on  our  star- 
board bow.  Just  after  midday,  we  had  a  shower 
from  the  south,  after  which  the  wind  died  entirely 
away.  The  air,  cooled  by  the  rain,  was  clear,  re- 
freshing, and  delightful. 

I  was  looking  to  the  eotith,  whither  our  course 
lay,  and  whither,  as  a  natural  consequence,  our  hopes 
and  desires  pointed — and,  happening  to  raise  my 
eyes  somewhat,  I  saw  a  dark  object  standing  in  bold 
relief  against  the  sky  in  that  direction.  Could  it  , 
be  the  Bouro  Dome,  or  Tomahoe  Mountain,  so  dis- 
tinctly marked  on  the  chart?  Others  looked  and 
saw  the  same.  It  was  quite  seventy-five  miles  dis- 
tant. How  I  longed  for  a  nearer  view !  And  I  felt 
that  my  longing  would  assuredly  be  realized.  A 
little  time,  and  a  breeze  of  wind  would  accomplish  it. 

This  day  I  had  evidence  of  the  solidity  of  a 
Kanaka's  skull.  I  was  standing  with  my  father  at 
the  break  of  the  poop  deck.  The  Doctor's  voice 
spoke  from  the  pantry  beneath — 


VOYAGE  AROUND  THE  WORLD.  231 

"  You  John,  dar."  (John  Gilpin,  being  useless 
lumber  as  a  sailor,  had  been  turned  over  to  the 
cook's  department,  as  assistant.) 

In  response  to  the  Doctor's  call,  the  skeleton 
head  of  John  Gilpin  appeared  at  the  galley  door. 
The  eyes  looked  aft,  and  the  mouth  grinned. 

"  Fotch  de  baker  pan,"  said  the  Doctor.  Then 
in  an  explanatory  way — "  To  put  de  bread  in,  you 
know — de  biskits — hangs  on  de  larboard  side — dat 
side  (gesture,  probably),  ob  de  stove."  The  head 
was  drawn  back  into  the  galley.  A  moment  passed, 
and  the  Kanaka  came  in  sight  forward  of  the  house, 
carrying  the  wash-deck  tub. 

"  Dat  a  pan  ?"  said  the  Doctor.  "  Tote  dat  back 
— get  de  pan — get  de  baker  pan — put  de  bread  in. 
You  gwine  to  be  a  fool  all  de  time  ?" 

Away  went  John  Gilpin  a  second  time,  and  re- 
turned with  a  bucket. 

The  Doctors  voice  again — "  What  you  bring 
now?  Dat's  a  bucket.  I  gib  you  jes'  one  more 
chance.     Fotch  de  pan — de  baker  pan. 

This  time  John  brought  a  pot. 

"  Go  'long,"  said  the  Doctor.  "  I  fotch  de  pan 
myself." 

"  Oh,  you — you — "  my  father  burst  out.  "  What 
are  you  good  for?" 

Then  snapping  the  rope  yarn  that  held  a  squash 


232  REMINISCENCES    OF    A 

to  the  rail,  he  raised  the  squash   and    hurled    it   at 
John,    shouting — 

"Take  that,  you  brown  scoundrel,  and  get  out 
of  my  sight." 

The  squash  flew  through  the  air,  and,  striking 
John  on  the  side  of  his  head,  was  shattered  into 
many  pieces.  The  shock  never  jarred  John,  but  he 
was  frightened,  and  rushed  precipitately  into  the 
galley. 

The  transaction  forcibly  reminded  me  of  the  sleep 
ing  Kanaka,  whose  head  I    fancied    I    could    crush 
with  a  cannon  ball.     Doubts  now  arose  in  my  mind 
as  to  whether  I  should  have  succeeded  in  that  un- 
dertaking, or  not. 


VOYAGE    AROUND    THE    WORLD.  233 


CHAPTER    XXI. 


BOURO    DOME. REEFING    TOPSAILS. — THE    MILKY    SEA. 

-CUHAVER  RAMPANT. — IN  SIGHT  OF  COPANG. 

i 

ES,  it  was  Bouro  Dome,  whose  summit  we 
had  seen  so  far  above  the  horizon.  Sept. 
4th,  Ave  stood  out  by  the  southern  end  of  Xulla 
Bessy,  to  the  westward,  and  on  the  5th,  having 
caught  a  favorable  breeze,  reached  a  point  within 
twenty-five  miles  of  this  object  of  my  admiration. 

The  next  morning  we  lay  becalmed  right  under 
the  shadow  of  this  magnificent  mountain.  On  the 
western  side,  the  sea  washes  its  base.  It  was  well 
called  Bouro  Dome,  for  apparently,  no  more  sym- 
etrical  dome  ever  was  conceived  in  the  mind  of 
man,  or  constructed  by  man's  hand.  While  we  lay 
in  the  calm  sunshine — happy  to  be  becalmed  just 
there,  since  becalmed  we  must  be — some  one  aloft 
shouted — 

"  Sail  ho  ! ' 

"Where  away?"  was  eagerly  asked,  for  it  was 
a  rare  cry  with  us  in  that  locality. 

"  On  the  starboard  quarter." 


231  REMINISCENCES    OF   A 

That  was  toward  the  south.  Looking  sharply, 
we  saw  it  from  deck,  a  mere  dot  or  speck,  on  the 
glassy  sea.  It  was  decided  to  give  our  neighbor  a 
gun,  to  let  him  know7  he  had  Christian  company  in 
these  remote  seas. 

The  gun,  which  had  been  taken  down  from  the 
forecastle,  was  accordingly  charged,  and  the  muzzle 
thrust  out  of  a  port  on  the  starboard  side.  Bang  ! 
There  was  a  ringing  in  our  ears,  a  trembling  of  the 
ship  under  our  feet,  while  the  wave  of  sound  swept 
outward  over  the  calm  sea. 

A  faint,  hollow  roar  returned  from  the  foot  of 
the  mountain,  but  the  still  sea  had  no  echoes  to  be 
disturbed,  and  the  report,  after  reaching  the  ears 
on  board  the  distant  ship,  died  away  in  the  distance. 

It  had  been  evident  for  some  time  that,  with 
never  so  good  a  chance,  we  could  not  reach  Cal- 
cutta without  a  fresh  supply  of  water.  About  us 
were  no  convenient  ports.  My  father  had  a  bias  for 
Amboina,  a  Dutch  settlement,  a  little  more  than 
three  degrees  to  the  eastward.  And  if  our  south- 
erly wind  was  to  continue,  no  place  wras  more  con- 
venient than  that. 

Again  the  firing  was  quickly  followed  by  a  breeze. 
As  usual,  it  came  from  the  south,  directly  ahead. 
Soon,  however,  it  changed  to  the  eastward  and  in- 
creased in  force.  It  seemed  to  leap  in  fierce  gusts 
from  the  mountain  down  upon  the  sea.      The  light 


VOYAGE    AROUND    THE    WORLD.  235 

Bails  were  immediately  furled,  and  then  came  the 
order  to  reef  topsails. 

The  fore  and  mizzen  were  settled  away — the 
yards  rounded  in  to  spill  the  sails — the  reef  tackles 
hauled  out,  and  amid  the  clatter  of  ropes  and 
threshing  of  canvass,  we  sprang  into  the  rigging. 
I  was  now  well  and  strong  enough  to  be  of  some 
service.  My  aim,  when  I  got  in  the  rigging,  was 
for  the  weather  earing  of  the  mizzen  topsail.  I 
knew  it  was  a  pretty  easy  place  to  sit,  for  I  had 
been  there  often.  But  I  was  not  smart  enough  this 
time.  My  brother  passed  me  in  spite  of  my  best 
eflbrts  ;  and  then  I  was  compelled,  either  to  take 
the  lee  earing,  or  shirk  a  duty  that  custom  imposed 
upon  me.  I  began  to  regret  my  hurry  since  I  could 
not  hurry  enough.  I  always  had  a  horror  of  a  lee 
earing,  and  had  never  hauled  one  out.  However,  I 
went  down  the  yard  to  leeward,  caught  hold  of  the 
lift,  threw  my  right  leg  over  outside  of  it.  and  set- 
tled down  as  comfortably  as  I  could  on  such  an 
uncomfortable  seat.  The  ship  was  away  over  on  her 
side,  and  the  yard,'  as  far  as  a  perpendicular  position 
went,  to  all  intents  and  purposes,  a  cock-bill. 

Making  the  best  I  could  of  the  matter,  I  thrust 
one  long  leg  through  between  the  leach  of  the  sail 
and  the  reef  tackle,  twisting  the  other  up  in  the 
foot  rope,  and  went  to  work.  While  they  were  haul- 
ing out  to  windward,  I  got  my  earing  clear,  took  a 


23G  REMINISCENCES    OF    A 

turn  with  it,  and  then  found  I    should   have  a  mo- 
ment's leisure  to  look  about. 

I  first  put  my  hand  behind  me  and  felt  the  end 
of  the  yard  on  which  I  sat,  and  twisted  around  and 
looked  at  it.  It  seemed  to  have  grown  short  and 
small,  all  of  a  sudden,  and  I  thought  it  anything 
but  a  luxurious  seat.  As  I  looked  at  the  yard,  my 
eyes  rested  for  a  moment  on  the  water  over  which 
I  sat.  It  was  in  wonderful  commotion.  The  old 
ship  would  right  up  a  bit,  then  a  fiercer  gust  would 
spank  her  down  again,  and  she  in  turn  would  spank 
the  water  with  her  counter,  and  roll  oif  a  ridge  of 
foam.  A  glance  at  the  deck  showed  me  the  cap- 
tain at  the  wheel,  roaring  out  to  the  carpenter,  and 
three  or  four  Kanakas,  who  were  manning  the  gear 
of  the  main  topsail.  And  right  in  front  was  Bouro 
Dome — no,  Tomahoe  Mount,  I  will  call  it  now — 
looking  grim  and  inflexible  like  the  genius  of  the 
storm.  Surely,  within  its  bowels  must  be  situated 
the  "vast  cave"  where  "King  ^Eolus  controls  the 
impatient  winds  and  sounding  tempest."  Their  mur- 
murs, under  the  restraint  of  their  monarch,  are  au- 
dible. Will  he  continue  to  restrain  them  ?  Or  will 
he  smite  the  enclosing  walls  and  unchain  them,  and 
sweep  our  good  ship  like  a  Trojan  hulk,  a  wreck, 
along  the  sea? 

Think  not  it  required  as  much  time  to  see  these 
things  as  to  tell  of  them.     It  was  onlv  a  wandering 


VOYAGE    AROUND    THE    WORLD.  23f 

glance,  the  space  of  an  ordinary  breath.  Then  the 
reefers  yelled  "  haul  out  to  leeward,"  and  I,  having 
hauled  in  the  slack  of  my  earing  and  wound  it  around 
one  hand,  took  hold  close  up  to  the  cringle  with  the 
other,  and,  throwing  myself  backward  with  all  my 
force,  yelled,  "haul  out  to  leeward." 

I  got  no  more  glances  while  there,  for  wThen  I 
had  passed  the  first  earing  and  fastened  it,  and 
cleared  the  second,  they  were  ready  to  haul  out  to 
leeward  again.  But  my  sense  of  feeling  and  my 
sense  of  hearing,  both,  told  me  that  the  main  top- 
sail halliards  were  started.  It  was  a  big,  heavy 
piece  of  canvass,  that  main  topsail,  but  the  wind 
played  wTith  it  as  if  it  had  been  the  merest  bit  of 
ribbon  on  a  girl's  hat.  Thresh,  thresh,  it  went,  and 
every  spar  jumped  in  concert.  But  machinery  and 
skill  prevailed,  and  it  was  soon   quieted. 

Slowlv  we  surged  oif  from  the  angry,  windv 
mountain.  To  double  reefs  succeeded  close  reefs. 
The  main  sail  was  furled,  and  the  foresail  reefed. 
By-and-by  everything  was  furled  except  the  main 
spencer  and  fore  topmast  staysail. 

In  the  darkness,  the  fcam  that  covered  the  sea 
showed  ghastly  white.  We  ventured  to  think  that 
such  a  gale,  long  continued,  would  land  us  on  the 
coast  of  Celebes.  We  had  Capt.  Woodward's  nar- 
rative of  his  captivity  there,  on  board,  and  had  read 
it.     We  were  quite  willing  to  credit  all  that  he  said, 


238  REMINISCENCES     OF    A 

and  did  not  desire  at  all  to  have  such  scenes  come 
under  our  own  personal  observation. 

Contrary  to  our  expectations,  but  in  conformity 
with  our  wishes,  the  wind  abated  after  midnight, 
and  worked  back  to  the  south.  We  made  sail, 
piece  by  piece,  and  at  noon  tacked  in  shore  again. 
At  five  p.  m.  we  were  well  in  with  the  land,  with 
all  sail  set.  We  had  altered  the  bearing  of  Bouro 
Dome  four  points.  It  bore  now  N.  E.  But  it  was 
a  perfect  dome,  look  at  it  from  what  direction  we 
might. 

It  was  pleasant  sailing  that  afternoon.  The  water 
was  smooth,  and  there  was  just  a  good  wholesale 
breeze  blowing.  Every  sail  was  set  that  would  draw 
on  a  wind,  and  with  a  good  rap  full,  we  went 
racing  in. 

Reader,  have  you  sailed  much  in  small  sail  boats  ? 
If  you  have,  you  will  remember  how,  when  close  in 
to  the  land,  and  standing  directly  for  it  on  the  wind, 
a  boat's  speed  seems  to  increase.  The  water  is 
usually  smoother.  Gust  after  gust  will  come,  bend- 
ing the  boat  gracefully  down,  and  giving  her  such 
a  bounding  impulse  that  she  seems  to  leap  along. 
Just  so  our  ship  raced  in  towards  Bouro.  Objects 
grew  more  and  more  distinct.  The  indentures  of 
the  shore,  the  paths  of  rivulets,  vast  fragments  of 
stone,  and  the  luxurious  vegetation,  were  plainly 
visible ;  but  we  looked  in  vain  for  a  sign  of  human 


YOYAGE    AROLND    THE    WORLD.  239 

existence.  There  was  nothing — no  habitation,  no 
appearance  of  cultivation,  no  proas  floating  in  the 
little  bay.  Let  no  one  suppose,  however,  that  Bouro 
was  not  inhabited.  Just  now  a  careful  observer 
would  have  detected  something  unusual  in  the  move- 
ments of  all  hands.  In  silence  the  mate  gravitated 
towards  the  forecastle ;  in  silence  the  second  mate 
scrutinized  the  coils  of  the  lee  braces ;  in  silence 
the  men  gathered  in  the  waist;  in  silence  the  Doc- 
tor thrust  his  head  out  of  the  galley  door.  Mean- 
while the  captain,  silent  too,  paced  the  weather  side 
of  the  poop  deck.  As  if  worked  by  machinery,  all 
eyes  turned  upon  him  when  he  walked  forward, 
and  turned  upon  the  shore  when  he  walked  aft. 
Each  turn  the  captain's  pause  at  the  break  of  the 
poop  was  longer.      At  length  he  broke  the   silence. 

"Ready  about!"  he  said,  and  waved  his  hand 
to  the  helmsman. 

Instantly  "  ready  about "  resounded  fore  and  aft, 
succeeded  by  the  falling  of  coils  of  rigging  upon 
the  deck,  and  the  metallic  clank  of  the  sister-hooks 
in  the  iron  thimbles,  as  the  clues  of  the  mainsail 
rose.  The  captain  walked  aft,  and  stood  by  the 
wheel.     Steadily  the  helmsman  turned  it. 

"  Hard-a-lee  !  "  shouted  the  captain. 

"  Hard-a-lee ! "  echoed  the  mate  from  the  fore- 
castle, and  the  next  instant  the  flop  of  canvass   in 


240  BBMIXISCENCES    OP    A 

that  direction  indicated  that  he  had  eased  off  the 
jib  sheets. 

The  ship's  bows  came  swiftly  up  to  the  wind. 
The  current  of  air  drew  fairly  fore  and  aft. 

"Mainsail  haul!" 

"Mainsail  haul!"  repeated  many  voices,  and  the 
yards  of  the  main  mast  and  the  mizzen  mast  were 
swung  with  an  accompaniment  of  sound  from  iron 
trusses,  blocks,  ropes,  and  human  throats.  The  ship, 
in  the  smooth  water,  woiked  like  a  fore  and-after, 
forereaching  rapidly  as  the  wind  against  the  head 
sails  bore  her  bows  off. 

"  Let  go  and  haul !  "  said  the  captain,  rubbing 
his  hands. 

The  head  yards  were  swung,  the  wheel  wTas 
righted,  the  main  tack  was  boarded,  jets  of  spray 
began  to  be  thrown  from  the  bow,  the  ship  with 
Bouro  astern,  like  the  canoe  of  Hiawatha 

"Westward    *       *      *       * 
Sailed  into  the  fiery  sunset, 
Sailed  into  the  purple  vapors, 
Sailed  into  the  dusk  of  evening. 

As  soon  as  we  were  far  enough  south  to  fetch 
by  the  southern  shore  of  Bouro,  our  course  was 
shaped  for  Amboina.  This  was  the  9th  of  Septem- 
ber. The  wind  was  light,  and  our  progress  corres- 
pondingly slow.  At  two  o'clock  we  discovered  a 
6ail  on  the  weather  beam.      It   neared  us,  and   we 


VOYAGE    ABOUND    THE    WOELD.  241 

goon  made  it  out  to  be  a  proa,  running  down  before 
the  wind.  If  fears  of  a  piratical  craft  entered  our 
minds  they  did  not  remain  long,  for  the  proa  kept 
on  her  course,  and  at  dark  had  crossed  our  wake, 
and  was  scarcely  discernible  on  the  lee  quarter.  It 
was  probably  a  merchant  proa,  coasting  from  island 
to  island. 

The  next  day  the  wind  came  fresh  from  the  east, 
directly  ahead  for  Amboina,  but  a  good  wind  for 
our  proper  course.  After  a  little  deliberation  Am- 
boina was  given  up,  and  Copang,  on  the  Island  of 
Timor,  a  place  lying  in  our  way,  chosen  for  a  stop- 
ping place.  So  the  ship  was  kept  off  S.  S.  W.  for 
the  Ombay  Passage.  The  wind  gradually  freshened, 
and  we  made  good  progress  across  the  Banda  Sea. 
Many  whales  were  visible. 

When  night  came  a  surprise  awaited  us.  The 
water  appeared  to  be  white — as  white  as  milk.  We 
puzzled  our  brains  for  an  explanation  of  the  phenom- 
enon, guessing  with  that  recklessness  characteristic 
of  Yankees  everywhere.  But  as  there  was  no  one 
to  say  when  we  guessed  right \  it  was  all  unsat- 
isfactory. 

I  quote,  as  an  explanation  of  the  appearance, 
two  or  three  paragraphs  that  went  the  rounds  of 
the  papers  several  years  ago.  It  will  be  seen  that 
our  locality  and  that  of  Capt.  Trebuchet  were  nearly 
the  same. 

Yoraje  Arcuud  the  World.  ■*  ™ 


242  REMINISCENCES    OF   A 

"  The  French  Minister  of  Marine  has  sent  to  the 
Academy  of  Science,  in  Paris,  a  report  of  Oapt. 
Trebuchet,  of  the  corvette  Capricieuse,  in  which  it 
is  stated  that  on  the  night  of  the  20th  of  August, 
1800,  when  about  twenty  miles  from  Amboina,  he 
and  ids  crew  beheld  the  curious  spectacle  of  the 
Milky  Sea,  and  what  the  Dutch  call  the  Winter  Sea, 
because  the  sky  and  water  rn-esent  the  appearance 
of  fields  covered  with  snow. 

"  The  phenomenon  lasted  from  1  p.  m.  until  day- 
light. It  was  at  first  attributed  to  the  reflection  of 
the  moon,  which  was  then  about  three  days  old  ; 
but  as  the  appearance  continued  after  the  moon  had 
set,  this  explanation  was  discarded.  A  bucketful  of 
sea  water  having  been  drawn  up  and  examined,  it 
was  found  to  contain  about  200  groups  of  animal- 
culae,  of  about  the  thickness  of  a  hair  each,  but  of 
varying  length.  They  adhered  to  each  other  like 
strings  of  beads,  and  emitted  a  light  similar  to  that 
of  the  glow-worm  and  fire-fly. 

*:.  "  It  was  admitted  that  the  white  appearance  of 
the  sea  was  caused  by  these  minute  creatures,  the 
number  of  which  must  have  exceeded  all  human 
calculation." 

A  long  time  I  sat  and  watched,  in  wonder,  the 
changed  color  of  the  water.  When  I,  at  length, 
turned  in,  I  hoped  that  the  consciousness  that  we 
were    making    good    progress    would   insure   a  fine 


VOYAGE    AROUND    THE    WORLD.  243 

night's  rest.  We  were  destined,  however,  to  expe- 
rience a  little  interruption  of  that  night's  slumbers. 
I  was  awoke  by  the  noise  of  a  scuffle  on  the  deck 
overhead.  The  captain  sprang  from  his  swinging 
cot,  and  rushed  up  the  steps  shoeless    and    hatless. 

I  will  account  now  for  the  noise.  It  was  the 
mate's  watch,  and  Cuhaver  had  the  wheel.  The 
former  lectured  the  latter  severely  upon  his  steering, 
and  not  satisfied  with  that,  struck  him  on  the  head 
with  an  iron  belaying  pin.  Thereupon  Cuhaver  (un- 
harmed by  the  blow — another  proof  of  the  thickness 
of  a  Kanaka's  skull,)  let  go  his  hold  upon  the  wheel, 
and  threw  his  arms  about  the  mate  so  as  to  pinion 
that  officer's  arms  completely.  Then  he  began  to 
chant  a  dismal  song,  griping  more  and  more  tightly 
his  struggling  victim.  What  he  intended  to  do  with 
him,  heaven  only  knows. 

At  this  juncture  my  father  reached  the  deck. 
Seeing  that  the  ship  would  be  caught  aback  unless 
the  helm  was  immediately  put  up,  he  bestowed  one 
blow  upon  Cuhaver,  and  ran  to  the  wheel.  Stunned 
by  the  blow,  which  took  effect  upon  the  left  side 
of  his  under  jaw,  Cuhaver  fell,  with  his  armful, 
across  the  top  of  a  sky-light.  Others  soon  reached 
the  scene  of  action,  and  just  in  time  to  prevent  the 
mate,  who  had  escaped  from  the  relaxed  grasp  of 
Cuhaver,  from  taking  signal  vengeance  on  that  dusky 
savage.     Through  the  remainder  of   the  night    Cu- 


244  REMINISCENCES    OF    A 

haver  wore  those  peculiar  bracelets  manufactured 
for  the  wrists  of  refractory  men. 

In  the  morning  an  investigation  of  the  affair  was 
made.  In  the  midst  of  the  testimony,  however,  the 
captain  broke  out  in  expressions  of  disgust,  and 
would  hear  no  more.  The  irons  were  removed  from 
Cuhaver,  and  he,  with  a  twisted  jaw  and  swollen 
face,  went  about  his  business.  Ibis  day  the  car- 
penter was  added  to  the  mate's  watch. 

We  spent  one  more  night  upon  the  Banda  Sea, 
ploughing  its  milky  waves,  and  on  the  following 
morning:  made  the  Island  of  Ombav  right  ahead. 
We  then  tacked,  and  stood  to  the  N.  E.  until  we 
saw  the  Island  of  Wetter,  laying  on  the  east  side 
of  the  passage,  when  we  went  about  again  to  the 
south.  That  afternoon  we  passed  the  high,  rocky 
island  of  Po  Cambing,  and  on  the  following  morning 
the  north-west  shore  of  Timor  was  in  sight.  During 
the  day  and  the  succeeding  night  we  ran  along  the 
shore,  not  very  far  from  it. 

At  ten  o'clock  the  next  day  the  Bay  of  Copang 
opened  before  us.  For  a  little  while  it  was  calm ; 
then  a  breeze  began  to  set  shoreward.  With  the 
breeze,  a  topsail  schooner  came  in  sight  to  the  south, 
steering  into  the  bay.  As  our  courses  converged, 
we  soon  drew  near  to  each  other.  The  spy-glasses 
were  in  great  requisition,  and  almost  constantly 
directed  in    search    of    the    town.      Presuming   the 


VOYAGE    AROUND    TFIE    WORLD.  245 

schooner  to  be  better  acquainted  with  the  navigation 

than  ourselves,  we  furled  the  royals,  hauled  up  the 
courses,  and  fell  into  her  wake.  By-and-by,  looking 
carefully,  we  could  discern  a  little  settlement  nestled 
among  the  trees.  It  was  flanked  in  one  direction 
by  a  fortification,  and  there  was  a  snip  lying  at  an- 
chor in  front,  seeming  close  in. 


£40  REMINISCENCES    OP    A 


CHAPTER    XXII. 


AT    COPA^G. 

%>HE  nationality  and  character  of  the  strange 
ship  were  immediately  subjects  of  animated 
discussion.  My  father  thought  it  to  be  some  Dutch 
man-of-war  that  belonged  on  the  station.  The  mate 
and  the  carpenter  inclined  to  the  opinion  that  it  was 
the  periodical  Dutch  ship,  come  for  the  products  of 
the  island. 

In  the  midst  of  the  discussion  my  brother,  who 
was  looking  through  a  glass,  declared  the  ship  had 
colors  flying.  This  announcement  closed  the  argu- 
ment, and  the  glasses  were  again  leveled  at  the 
stranger.  All  saw  the  flag,  but  none  could  say  of 
what  nation  it  was.  The  distance  was  too  great. 
I  eagerly  snatched  the  first  glass  that  was  laid  down, 
and  went  with  it  to  the  forward  part  of  the  poop. 
Descending  the  steps  half  way  to  the  main  deck,  I 
adjusted  it  nicely,  leaned  it  steadily  on  the  comb- 
ings of  the  aperture,  and  applied  ray  eye.  I  saw 
bunting  waving  at  the  stranger's  gaff,  but  it  blew 
directly  from  us,  and  I  could  make  out  nothing.     I 


VOYAGE  AROUND  THE  WO  ELD.         247 

watched  narrowly.  By-and-by  a  furtive  gust  blew 
it  sidewise,  and  spread  it  without  a  fold  acioss  my 
line  of  vision.  There  wTas  no  mistaking  it.  I  shot 
up  the  steps  and  rushed  aft,  exclaiming — 

"  She's  an  American  ship  !  " 

I  had  seen  the  stars  and  stripes  as  plainly  as  I 
could  wish  to. 

"  An  American  ship  ?"  said  my  father,  rather 
questioningly,  looking  again  through  the  glass.  "  Oh, 
a  whaler.     I  see  her  boats  now." 

Soon  he  caught  a  view  of  her  flag,  and  added, 
"  She  is  an  American,  that's  a  fact." 

We  all  felt  a  peculiar  satisfaction  when  it  was 
settled,  beyond  a  doubt,  that  we  had  fallen  in  with 
our  own  countrymen. 

We  passed  a  small,  low,  sand  island  on  the  right, 
when  within  a  mile  of  the  shore,  came  to  the  wind, 
and  lay  with  our  main  topsail  to  the  mast.  We  lay 
some  time  wondering  at  the  apathy  of  our  country- 
men, since  we  had  the  signal  for  a  pilot  flying.  At 
length  a  boat  was  discovered  pulling  oft1  from  the 
shore.  It  came  with  great  swiftness.  When  near 
at  hand,  we  saw  that  it  was  a  whale  boat,  manned 
by  w7hite  men,  and  we  rightly  conjectured  that  it 
was  the  property  of  the  whaleship,  and  manned  by 
whalemen.  The  side  ladder  was  lowered.  The  boat 
swept  alongside,  and  the  officer  who  sat  in  the  stern 
came  rapidly  up  the  ladder.     He  announced  himself 


248  REMINISCENCES     OP    A 

as  the  captain  of  the  New  Bedford  whaleship  Phoe- 
nix, and  received  a  very  warm  welcome. 

"You  must  excuse  our  tardiness,"  he  said.  "I 
was  on  shore,  and  mv  mate  sent  a  boat  for  me, 
supposing  that  I  would  prefer  to  come  off  to  you 
myself." 

Under  his  direction  we  filled  away,  and  ran  in 
and  anchored  to  the  south  of  his  ship,  and  about 
half  a  mile  from  the    shore. 

Copang — written  also  Coopang,  Coupang,  Cce- 
pang,  and  Koepang — is  also  known  as  Fort  Con- 
cordia. The  event  most  likely  to  make  it  a  place 
of  interest  to  the  general  reader,  is  that  it  was  the 
end  of  Lieut.  Bligh's  remarkable  boat  voyage. 

He  was  forced  from  his  ship  in  the  vicinity  of 
the  Friendly  Islands.  From  thence  to  Copang,  a 
distance  of  about  3,600  miles,  he  sailed  in  an  open 
boat,  only  twenty-three  feet  in  length,  six  feet  nine 
inches  in  width,  and  two  feet  nine  inches  deep.  The 
occupants  of  the  boat  were  eighteen  in  number. 
Their  whole  stock  of  provisions  was  150  pounds  of 
bread,  sixteen  pieces  of  pork,  six  quarts  of  rum,  and 
twenty-eight  gallons  of  water.  After  reaching  New 
Holland  they  landed  frequently  and  obtained  fresh 
food.  The  time  consumed  was  forty-seven  days. 
The  Dutch  residents  of  Copang  gave  them  a  most 
hospitable  reception,  providing  for  all  their    wants. 

The  day  of  our  arrival  was  Sunday  at    Copang, 


VOYAGE  AROUND  THE  WOELD.         249 

but  Saturday  with  us ;  for,  though  we  had  made  the 
requisite  change  in  the  day  of  the  month,  we  had 
not  yet  changed  the  day  of  the  week.  We  did  now, 
however,  and  the  day  which  began  with  us  as  Sat- 
urday ended  as  Sunday. 

The  ensuing  day  we  commenced  operations.  My 
father  proceeded  to  the  shore  with  the  captain  of 
the  whaleship,  whose  name  I  have  forgotten.  The 
presence  of  the  Phoenix  in  this  port  was  of  great 
advantage  to  us.  Her  captain,  having  already  been 
through  the  process  of  procuring  supplies,  greatly 
aided  my  father  by  his  advice.  Bright  and  early, 
the  mate  turned  all  hands  to  on  the  water  casks. 
We  had  a  busy  day,  breaking  out,  striking  out,  tow- 
ing ashore,  etc. 

Copang  had  her  harbor  merchants,  bumboatmen, 
or  whatsoever  they  may  be  called,  as  well  as  more 
frequented  ports.  Half  a  dozen  soon  found  their 
way  on  board  our  ship,  each  intent  upon  turning  an 
honest  penny — the  iminy  anyhow — they  did  not  care 
so  much  whether  it  was  an  honest  one,  if  so  they 
got  it.  They  dealt  in  monkeys,  parrots,  and  fruits. 
But  we  could  not  negotiate  with  them  that  day. 
"  No  time,"  we  told  them.  "  No  money  for  trade 
to-day.  Come  again  to-morrow."  They  went  away 
reluctantly. 

Tuesday,  my  brother  and  myself,  in  company 
with  the  carpenter,  visited  the  whaleship.  On  mount- 


250  REMINISCENCES     OF    A 

ing  to  her  deck,  we  were  greatly  astonished  at  be- 
holding, mixed  up  with  the  pigs  on  the  main  deck, 
on  the  timber  heads,  on  the  hatches,  in  the  boats, 
monkeys — everywhere,  monkeys  ! 

The  carpenter  soon  paired  off  with  his  brother 
"  chips,"  and  my  brother  also  found  his  "  affinity." 
I  stuck  by  an  old  weather-beaten  tar,  who  was  very 
pleasant  and  gossippy. 

"How  came  you,"  I  asked  him,  at  length,  "to 
buy  such  a  drove  of  monkeys  ?" 

He  laughed.  "  I'll  tell  you,"  he  said,  "  and  you'll 
be  able  then  to  get  a  plenty  of  them  without  pay- 
ing for  them.  Have  they  been  on  board  your  ship 
with  them  yet?" 

"  Yes." 

"  Had  strings  to  them  and  made  them  fast  when 
they  got  them  on  deck,  didn't  they,  and  then  went 
hunting  and  peering  about  ?  " 

"  Yes." 

"  Well,  when  they  come  aboard  again,  and  tie 
their  monkeys,  do  you,  as  soon  as  they  travel  out 
of  sight,  cast  the  animals  loose.  That's  the  way  we 
got  our  monkeys.  They  can't  catch  them  again,  any 
more  than  I  can  catch  this  one." 

So  saying,  the  old  sailor  walked  slowly  up  to  a 
young  monkey  that  was  sitting  on  the  fife-rail  of 
the  foremast,  and  looking  gravely  at  him.  Without 
stirring  or  winking,  the  hairy  creature  let  the  man's 


VOYAGE  AROUND  THE  WORLD.         251 

hand  approach  him  within  an  inch ;  then,  with  a  sud- 
den jump,  and  a  loud  chatter,  he  flew  up  the  rope 
nearest  to  him.  His  chatter  was  echoed  from  all 
parts  of  the  ship,  and  a  stampede  of  monkeys  be- 
gan. They  rushed  up  the  rigging — they  gallopped 
along  the  rail — they  raced  about  the  boats — and  one, 
about  the  size  of  a  child  of  eight  years  of  age,  sprang 
on  the  back  of  a  pig,  and  rode  forward,  escorted  by  a 
trooj)  of  his  smaller  brethren. 

I  was  fairly  frightened.  My  mind  was  made  up 
at  once  not  to  cast  any  monkeys  loose  on  board  of 
the  Hampton,  nor  suffer  any  one  else  to  do  it,  if  I 
could  help  it.  I  felt  relieved  when  we  returned  to 
our  own  ship. 

This  day,  having  received  a  supply  of  coin  cur- 
rent at  Copang,  we  made  some  purchases.  The 
mate  bought  a  young  monkey  and  a  paroquet. 

Somebody  followed  the  example  of  the  whalemen, 
and  cast  loose  half  a  dozen  monkeys  while  their 
owner  was  in  the  galley  driving  a  bargain  with  the 
Doctor.  They  mounted  the  rigging,  with  their 
strings  dangling  behind.  After  numerous  and  per- 
severing efforts,  four  were  recaptured,  and  the  re- 
maining two  took  passage  wTith  us  to  Calcutta.  One 
more,  a  small  and  very  amiable  monkey — a  present 
to  my  father — completed  our  list  of  these  animals. 

One  article  offered  for  sale  here  was  sugar,  done 
up  in  a  very  peculiar  manner.     A  vessel  was  fabri- 


252  REMINISCENCES     OF     A 

cated  of  palm  leaf  on  the  model  of  a  baker's  pan 
— not  qnite  as  long  and  wide,  but  of  the  same  depth. 
Into  this  vessel  the  sugar,  which  was  said  to  be 
made  from  the  sap  of  the  palm,  seemed  to  have 
been  poured  in  a  liquid  state.  As  it  grew  hard  it 
naturally  adhered  to  the  bottom  and  sides.  At  one 
end  of  the  vessel  was  a  bail,  also  of  palm  leaf,  by 
which  it  was  carried  very  conveniently.  The  sugar 
inside  had  no  disposition  to  drop  out,  so  you  see 
these  articles  were  portable  in  the  highest  degree.  A 
man  could  hang  as  many  of  them  on  his  arm  as  he 
could  carry. 

The  sugar  was  of  the  same  color  as  our  maple 
sugar,  and  had  much  the  same  taste.  It  was  very 
cheap,  one  of  these  vessels  filled  with  it,  costing 
but    a  trifle. 

Wednesday,  the  driving  part  of  the  work  being 
over,  my  brother  and  myself  visited  the  town,  taking 
Joe  Bacon  along  with  us.  Copang  consisted  of  two 
streets  parallel  with  the  beach,  and  less  than  half  a 
mile  in  length.  Across  these  at  right  angles  ran  two 
or  three  rather  devious  paths.  Through  the  place, 
from  rear  to  front,  ran  a  shallow  stream  of  water. 

We  went  first  wTith  my  father,  to  the  house  of  a 
lady  with  jwhom  his  business  had  made  him  ac- 
quainted. She  was  Chinese,  but  spoke  English  very- 
well.  Her  husband,  who  was  the  principal  mer- 
chant of  the  place,   was  then  absent  on  business   in 


VOYAGE    AROUND     THE    WORLD.  253 

another  part  of  the  island.  "We  remained  half  an 
hour,  hearing  the  little  lady  chat.  When  we  rose 
to  depart  she  gave  us  a  very  hind  invitation  to  re- 
turn and  drink  coffee  with  her  when  it  should  be 
noon.  This  we  'declined  as  politely  as  we  know 
how,  and  having  said  good-bye  to  our  hostess,  and 
listened  to  some  warning  words  from  the  captain, 
sallied  forth. 

We  first  turned  to  the  right,  and  crossing  the 
stream  on  a  rustic  kind  of  bridge,  went  towards  the 
fort.  The  entrance  was  open,  and  a  sentinel  pacing 
in  front.  We  asked  if  we  could  go  inside.  He 
shook  his  head.  We  took  this  for  a  negative  an- 
swer, though  I  have  since  thought  he  did  not  under- 
stand us,  and  wished  to  express  as  much  by  shaking 
his  head. 

Denied  admittance,  as  we  thought,  we  walked 
around  the  walls  outside.  We  were  not  much  im- 
pressed by  the  strength  of  Fort  Concordia.  It  was 
doubtless  intended  as  a  protection  against  any  hos- 
tility on  the  part  of  the  natives.  For  that  purpose 
it  answered  very  well,  but  a  civilized  enemy,  with 
cannon,  would  soon  knock  it  down.  In  our  circuit 
we  came  upon  a  target  which  had  been  considerably 
riddled,  by  bullets.  This  target  was  so  placed  that 
the  balls  after  passing  through  it,  or  by  it,  accord- 
ing as  the  shooting  was  good  or  bad,  struck  an  angle 
of  the  fort.  The  wall  at  this  point  was  much  defaced. 


254  EEMINISCENCES     OF    A 

From  the  fort  we  went  back  across  the  bridge, 
and  then  turning,  followed  the  stream,  leaving  the 
town  behind.  Soon  we  seemed  to  be  "  walking  in 
enchanted  bowers."  In  places,  so  dense  was  the 
vegetable  growth  that  the  sun's  rays  penetrated  only 
here  and  there.  The  tree  was  overhead ;  the  shrub 
was  on  the  right  hand  and  on  the  left,  and  the  vine 
was  not  only  above  and  around,  but  also  under  foot. 
Where  the  sun's  rays  did  penetrate,  their  golden 
gleams  contrasted  strikingly  and  pleasantly  with  the 
deep  green  of  the  huge  fan-like  leaves.  Out  from 
this  cooling  shade  we  stepped,  and  stood  in  romantic 
glades  where  the  sunlight  was  unobstructed.  A  few 
steps  carried  us  across  these,  and  we  walked  through 
groves  of  the  tall  cocoa  nut  palm.  All  around,  de- 
licious fruits  were  growing,  and  everywhere  a  pleas- 
ant odor  was  diffused  about.  Birds  flitted  from  tree 
to  tree,  startling  the  eye  by  momentary  exhibitions 
of  their  bright  plumage. 

We  returned  to  the  town,  and  all  our  agreeable 
sensations  fled.  The  men  who  were  born  lords  of 
this  soil  and  its  gorgeous  productions,  were  not  in- 
viting characters.  We  passed  from  end  to  end  of 
the  chief  streets.  On  each  side,  on  the  thresholds 
of  the  houses,  sat  rows  of  half  naked,  swarthy,  fero- 
cious wretches.  Each  held  across  his  lap  a  long 
gun,  with  rusty  barrel,  and  unvarnished  and  un- 
stained stock,  and  to  the  side  of  each  was  attached 


VOYAGE    AROUND    THE    WORLD.  255 

a  crooked,  ugly-looking  knife.  They  were  all  mo- 
tionless as  statues,  and  regarded  us  with  a  fixed 
stare  as  we  passed  along. 

Why  they  were  squatted  down  there,  from  end 
to  end  of  the  streets,  we  could  not  conjecture.  I 
think  they  could  not  have  been  inhabitants  of  the 
town,  but  were  from  the  country,  and  came  on 
business  or  for  pleasure. 

The  houses  near  the  beach  were  chiefly  stores, 
and  kept  by  Chinese.  At  these  we  made  some  pur- 
chases, and  were  then  ready  to  go  on  board.  On 
the  beach  we  encountered  some  of  the  whalemen. 
We  told  them  where  we  had  been,  and  asked  if  we 
had  seen  all  the  objects  of  interest. 

"  All,"  they  said,  "  except  the  Joss-House." 

"What  is  that?" 

"  Where  they  keep  their  idol  and  have  their  fire." 

The  place  was  at  a  distance,  and  a  boat  was  on 
its  way  from  the  ship  for  us,  so  we  were  compelled 
to  forego  a  sight  of  the  Joss-House,  and  his  honor, 
the  Joss. 

Timor  is  250  miles  long,  with  an  average  width 
of  thirty  miles,  and  contains  upwards  of  6,000  square 
miles.  It  is  remarkable  on  one  account.  A  chain 
of  high  mountains  traverses  it,  and  on  the  side  of 
this  chain  towards  Australia,  the  animals  bear  a  re- 
semblance to  those  of  Australia,  while  those  on  the 


256  REMINISCENCES     OF    A 

opposite  side  are  closely  allied  to  the  fauna  of  Sum- 
atra and  Java. 

Timor  belongs  jointly  to  the  Dutch  and  Portu- 
gese. Copang  is  the  chief  port.  It  is  easy  of  ac- 
cess, furnishes  good  water  and  plentiful  supplies  of 
poultry  and   vegetables. 

The  Malays  are  not  credited  by  authorities  with 
many — indeed,  I  may  say,  any — virtues.  Their  chiel 
characteristics  are  jealousy,  pride,  cunning,  and  du- 
plicity. They  have  a  predilection  for  the  sea,  and 
when  once  on  it,  if  they  have  the  power,  and  the 
opportunity  occurs,  they  are,  of  course,  guilty  of 
piracy. 

A  few  months  before  our  arrival,  some  proas 
had  captured  a  brig  about  thirty  miles  up  the  coast. 
All  hands  were  barbarously  murdered,  and  the  vessel 
plundered  and  burned. 

The  practice  of  "  running  amuck"  is  a  peculiarity 
of  this  people.  To  "run  amuck"  is  to  rush  fero- 
ciously along  a  street,  stabbing,  biting,  and  anathe- 
matizing every  person  who  is  met.  The  fate  of  the 
person  who  runs  amuck  is  that  which  a  mad  dog 
meets  with  us. 

I  thought  there  was  a  line  chance  for  an  exhibi- 
tion of  this  characteristic  pastime  in  the  streets  of 
Copang.  I  should  have  been  a  pleased  spectator 
as  long  as  I  could  have  been  a  safe  one ;  but  while 
there  was  any    possibility   that    a    "  creese "   would 


VOYAGE    AROUND     THE    WORLD.  257 

find  its  way  between  my  own  ribs,  I  should  have 
objected  to  it,  and  if  my  objections  had  been  un- 
availing, I  should  have  removed  myself  as  speedily 
and  as  remotely  as  possible. 

As  we  looked  back  after  getting  on  board  the 
ship,  the  place  appeared  marvelously  fair,  with  its 
encircling  palms,  and  background  of  wood  crowned 
heights.  But  this  is  a  world  of  comnensation.  Who 
would  rather  be  a  Malay,  among  the  profusion  of 
the  tropics,  than  an  Anglo-Saxon  in  a  temperate 
zone  ? 


17 

'  c;  age  Around  tha  'VTorld.  x  ' 


258  REMINISCENCES    OF    A. 


CHAPTER    XXIII. 


A   DESERTER. DEPART  FROM  COPANG. WRESTLING. — 

ANOTHER    HARD  HEAD. 

E  reached  the  ship  at  four  o'clock  in  the 
afternoon.  Before  dark  a  rumor  was  in 
circulation  that  two  of  the  whaleship's  crew  intended 
to  desert  that  night,  and  conceal  themselves  on  board 
of  us.  It  was  our  design  to  san*  in  the  morning. 
Well,  morning  came,  and  scarcely  was  the  sun  risen 
before  a  boat,  well  manned,  pulled  towards  us  from 
the  Phoenix.  The  captain  was  in  the  stern.  He 
came  immediately  on  board,  and  after  exchanging 
the  usual  salutations  with  my  father,  unfolded  the 
object  of  his  early  visit. 

"  One  of  my  men,"  he  said,  "  has  deserted.    He 

left  the    ship    last   night,  and  I  am    almost    certain 

that  he  came  on  board  of  you,  and  has    concealed 
himself." 

"  There  was  a  report  yesterday,"  my  father  said, 
"  that  two  of  your  men  intended  to  desert  to  us.  If 
one  has  deserted,  he  may   be    on    board,   though   I  , 


VOYAGE    AROUND    THE    WORLD.  259 

have  no  knowledge  of  the  fact.     If  you  desire  to  do 
so,  you  can  search  the   ship." 

"  Tumble  up  here,"  said  the  captain  to  his  men 
in  the  boat.     "  We  will  search  for  him." 

A  systematic  search  of  the  ship  was  instituted. 
No  part  was  exempt,  except  the  cabin.  I  stood  on 
the  poop  deck  and  observed  that  part  of  the  search 
which  was  o;oin£r  on  above  deck.  Two  whalemen 
mounted  the  house,  and  peered  about  under  the  boats 
which  were  stowed  there.  Not  finding  anybody, 
they  lifted  the  folds  of  the  main  topmast  staysail, 
which  was  stowed  between  the  boats.  I  noticed, 
as  they  did  so,  that  a  meaning  glance  passed  be- 
tween them.  They  said  nothing,  however,  but  de- 
scended to  the  deck,  and  with  a  brief,  "  Nobody 
there,"  joined  in  the  search  in  the  hold.  There  the 
men  were  equally  unsuccessful. 

All  now  gathered  about  the  gangway,  and  direct- 
ed their  eyes  towards  their  disappointed  captain.  I 
said  all  looked  towards  their  captain.  I  should  have 
excepted  one  stout,  sandy-complexioned,  and  sandy- 
whiskered  man.  He  was  not,  like  the  others,  con- 
tent with  what  had  been  done.  Perhaps  he  was 
content  with  what  he  had  himself  done  ;  but  he  had 
not  searched  any  on  deck — a  part  of  the  ship  that 
now  underwent  his  careful,  personal  supervision. 

He  mounted  the  house  and  looked  perseveringly 
under  the  boats.     Being  so   conspicuously  engaged, 


260  REMINISCENCES    Otf    A 

he  became  the  object  upon  which  all  eyes  were 
fixed.  The  group  at  the  gangway  turned  from  their 
captain  to  him.  The  two  captains,  and  all  our  silent 
attentive  crew,  centered  their  gaze  upon  the  sandy 
man.  He  was  a  sort  of  forlorn  hope.  No  one  spoke 
a   word. 

Fruitless  was  Sandy-man's  seeking  under  the 
boats.  Hopeful  stil-I,  he  tried  the  staysail.  Up  came 
one  fold — nobody;  another  fold — nobody;  a  third 
fold— «  Ha  !  here  he  is  !  " 

Well  done  !  Sandy-man — well  done !  But  why 
do  you  descend  so  hastily  from  your  elevation  ? 

A  lithe,  active-looking  young  man  rose  slowly 
up,  and  disengaged  himself  from  the  staysail.  Look- 
ing around,  his  eyes  caught  Sandy's  retreating  form. 
He  jumped  from  the  vicinity  of  the  sail,  and  shaking 
his  fist  at  the  man,  shouted  out : 

"  So  you  want  to  be  a  boat-steerer,  do  you  ? 
Just  get  up  here  again,  and  we'll  see  which  is  the 
best  man.  Curse  a  man  that'll  betray  a  shipmate  ! 
Curse  a  man  that'll  curry  favor  with  the  captain! 
Oh,  you'll  be  made  a  boat-steerer  for  this  ! " 

All  this  time  the  young  man  walked  hurriedly 
about  the  little  space  between  the  boats. 

"  I  dare  you,"  he  continued  to  the  man,  "  to  come 
up  here  and  stand  before  me.  You're  bigger  than 
I  am,  I  know,  but  I  won't  mind  that." 

Sandy  muttered  out  something.     He  did  not  ac- 


VOYAGE     AIIOUXI)    THE    WOULD.  201 

cept  the  challenge.  He  looked — if  I  must  tell  it — 
Sandy  looked  dreadfully  confused.  Now  the  excited 
man's  remarks  about  currying  favor  with  the  cap- 
tain,  might  have  been  unjust.  This  did  not  appear 
in  Sandy's  countenance,  however.  He  held  his  head 
down,  and  did  not  choose  to  meet  the  indignant 
eyes  of  his  shipmates — for  his  shipmates  did  not 
admire  his  deed,  that  was  plain  enough. 

The  deserter's  harangue  was  interrupted  by  his 
captain. 

"  That  will  do,  Jack — that  will  do.  Get  into  the 
boat  now,  and  we'll  go  aboard." 

"Get  into  the  boat!"  repeated  Jack,  with  a  tone 
and  countenance  of  despair — then  jumping  up  and 
down,  and  smiting  his  lists  together,  he  burst  forth  : 

"  Curse  your  boat,  and  you  too,  sir  !  Curse  your 
old  ship!  I've  slaved  in  her,  and  starved  in  her 
long  enough.  Here  we've  been  out  sixteen  months, 
and  havn't  got  oil  enough  yet  to  grease  your  way 
to  the  infernal  regions — " 

"Hush!  hush!'  his  captain  interrupted;  "don't 
make  your  case  any  worse — it's  bad  enough  now. 
Get  into  the  boat  at  once,  and  let's  nave  no  more 
of  such  folly." 

"  I  wortt  get  into  the  boat  unless  the  captain  of 
this  ship  tells  me  to.  Till  he  says  go,  you  can't  all 
of  you  take  me  off  this  house."  P 


262  REMINISCENCES    OF     A 

The  whalesliip  captain  stepped  back,  and  my 
father  said : 

"  You  must  go  into  the  boat,  my  poor  fellow,  for 
I  have  no  right  in  the  world  to  detain  you." 

"  I'll  ask  you  nothing  for  my  services,  captain. 
All   I  ask  is  to  be  delivered  from — " 

"  Say  no  more,"  said  my  father,  interrupting  him, 
"  for  it  is  useless.  Your  captain  has  treated  me 
kindly,  and  aided  me  in  many  ways.  Without  his 
full  consent  I  cannot  take  you.  I  have  not  the  right, 
the  inclination,  or  the  power  to  do  so." 

"  Farewell,  Hope,  then,"  said  the  runaway ;  and 
he  slowly  descended  from  the  house.  "  As  for  you," 
turning  to  Sandy,  "if  I  don't  be  even  with  you, 
may  I  perish." 

Poor  fellow  !  I  have  always  had  a  wish  to  know 
what  happened  to  him  afterwards.  Some  of  our 
crew  were  aware  that  he  was  on  board.  He  went 
on  shore  first  from  his  own  ship,  and  came  off  to 
our's  about  midnight,  in  a  canoe.  Another  did  in- 
tend to  come  with  him,  but  his  courage  failed  him. 
The  two  men  whom  I  saw  overhaul  the  staysail  saw 
their  shipmate,  but  they  were  unlike  Sandy.  That 
worthy,  doubtless,  had  in  view  a  boat-steerer's  berth. 

After  the  whaleship's  boat  had  departed,  we  got 
under  way  and  went  to  sea.  The  wind  was  favor- 
able, and  we  soon  left  all  the  land  astern,  and  found 
ourselves  sailing  on  the  skirts  of  the  Indian  Ocean, 


VOYAGE    AROUND    THE    WORLD.  263 

Our  progress  grew  more  respectable,  and  better 
spirits  than  formerly  prevailed  on  board.  After 
reaching  the  longitude  of  Java  Head,  our  course 
began  to  incline  to  the  north. 

Going  forward  one  evening,  during  the  dog 
watch,  I  found  Joe  Bacon  and  the  Kanakas  good- 
naturedly  discussing  Cuhaver's  attack  upon  the  mate 
while  we  were  crossing  the  Banda  Sea.  The  con- 
versation was  carried  on  in  mongrel  English  phrases, 
with  now  and  then  a  brief  translation  by  the  boat- 
swain. Joe  represented  that  the  mate  could  not  be 
much,  or  he  would  soon  have  settled  his  bearish 
antagonist.  As  for  himself,  though  he  was  no  fighter, 
he  would  like  to  see  the  Kanaka  who  could  hold 
him,  even  one  instant,  in  anger. 

This  provoked  some  bragging  on  the  part  of  the 
Kanakas.     Finally  Big  Man  said  to  Joe : 

"  You  nothing — me  can  make  you  go  down  with 
one  hand." 

"Not  with  both,  big  as  you  be,"   retorted   Joe. 

"  Spose  try."  And  Big  Man  laughed,  and  all  the 
Kanakas  laughed  in  concert. 

"  Come  on,"  responded  Joe,  nothing  daunted. 

"  No  fight,"  said  Big  Man,  "  but  me  make  young 
brag  go  down." 

So  he  went  cautiously  up,  and  laid  his  great 
hands  on  Joe's  shoulders.  But  no  sooner  did  they 
rest,  even  lightly,  there,  than  Big  Man's  heels  flew 


264  REMINISCENCES    OF    A 

up,  and  his  broad  shoulders  struck  on  the  deck  like 
a  bale  of  hides.  All  the  Kanakas  uttered  ejacula- 
tions of  astonishment  and  wonder. 

Joe  had  hardly  moved.  He  was  a  skillful  wrest- 
ler, and  did  his  work  quickly.  The  Kanakas,  having 
no  conception  of  a  trip,  could  not  comprehend  what 
floored  their  champion. 

Big  Man  got  up  and  rubbed  his  shoulders.  He 
looked  a  little  confused,  but  was  still  good-natured. 
He  proposed  to  try  it  again.  He  did,  and  went 
down  as  quickly  as  before,  and  declined  a  third  trial. 
Joe  then  challenged  the  others,  but  there  was  no 
response. 

"  See  this,  then,"  said  Joe,  and  immediately 
turned  several  somersaults,  some  forward  and  some 
backward.  These  feats,  remnants  of  his  circus  per- 
formances, enhanced  the  astonishment  of  the  Kana- 
kas. They  gave  him  credit  for  superior  powers. 
He  claimed  them,  and  vaunted  finely. 

An  idea  striking  Big  Man  just  then,  he  pointed 
to  me,  and  said : 

"  Can  put  him  down  ?  " 

"  Just  as  easy  as  I  can  turn  my  hand  over." 
And  Joe  elevated  his  nose,  as  if  I  were  a  very  con- 
temptible antagonist. 

"You  can't  do  it,  Joe,"  said  I,  stung  by  his 
contempt. 

"  Come  out  here,"  he  said. 


VOYAGE    AEOUND    THE    WOELD.  265 

I  stepped  out.  Joe  laid  his  right  hand  on  my 
left  shoulder,  and  gave  me  a  jerk,  accompanied  by 
a  quick  trip  on  the  left  heel.  But  I  had  not  been 
ten  years,  summer  and  winter,  to  a  district  school, 
for  nothing.  I  was  moderately  expert  at  "  rough 
and  tumble,"  and  though  Joe  followed  up  his  first 
trip  by  others  quicker  and  more  furious,  I  found  no 
difficulty  in  shoring  myself  up.  My  arms  were  longer 
than  his,  and  I  thrust  him  back  so  far  that  he  found 
difficulty  in  tripping.  Then  I  assumed  the  offensive, 
and  tried  in  many  ways  to  upset  him,  but  I  could  not. 

Our  struggles  were  too  exhausting  to  last  long. 
Making  two  legs  answer  for  half  a  dozen,  and  my 
offensive  movements,  soon  put  me  out  of  breath. 
And  Joe's  unremitted  exertions  had  winded  him. 
So,  as  if  by  mutual  agreement,  we  separated. 

All  this  was  sport  for  the  Kanakas.  They  laugh- 
ed and  chattered  like  magpies,  and  when  Joe  drew 
back,  puffing,  they  asked  him — 

"Where  your  smart?  You  no  put  him  down. 
Where  your  brag?" 

After  that  day,  whenever  Joe  could  find  me  out 
of  sight  of  the  officers,  he  would  clinch  me.  In 
these  encounters  his  aim  was  to  close  with  me,  and 
mine  was  to  prevent  him.  For  some  time,  therefore, 
there  was  no  decisive  struggle.  At  length,  he  got 
inside  of  my  arms,  and  took  a  back  hold.  Down 
I  went!     Joe  began  to  exult.     My  best  "hold"  at 


266  EEMINISCENCES    OF    A 

wrestling  was  at  what  we  used  to  call  "  side  hold " 
at  school.  I  offered  battle  again.  Joe  rushed  in, 
but  before  he  could  get  a  grasp  behind  me,  I  whirled 
around,  bringing  him  on  my  right  side.  As  I  whirled, 
I  passed  my  right  arm  around  his  waist,  and  grasped 
his  right  hand  with  my  left.  I  was  all  right  then, 
and  before  Mr.  Bacon  saw  through  it,  he  was  upon 
his  back  on  the  deck,  and  I  was  lying  across  his 
breast.  So  we  were  square.  And  we  kept  about 
square  thereafter. 

One  day  my  father  surprised  us  in  the  midst  of 
a  furious  heat.  We  received  a  short  and  impressive 
lecture,  such  as  only  seafaring  men  can  give,  and  I 
was  particularly  warned  never  to  be  caught  wrest- 
ling again.  It  was  very  hard  for  Joe  to  abstain. 
For  sometime  after,  whenever  he  met  me  his  arms 
were  involuntarily  stretched  out  towards  me. 

October  6th  wre  crossed  the  Equator  again,  and 
were  once  more  in  the  Northern  Hemisphere.  We  now 
experienced  a  great  deal  of  unpleasant  weather.  One 
afternoon  the  wind  began  to  blow  hard  from  the 
N.  E.  We  took  in  one  sail  after  another,  until 
nothing  was  left  on  the  ship  but  the  close  reefed 
topsails,  reefed  foresail,  main  spencer,  and  fore-top- 
sail staysail.  We  were  on  a  wind,  lying  as  near  it 
as  we  could. 

Just  after  it  became  dark  a  furious  squall  struck 
uss  accompanied  by  torrents  of  rain.     The  ship  went 


VOYAGE     AJUHTNX)    THE    WOELD.  267 

down  upon  her  broadside  fearfully,  almost  upon  her 
beam  ends.  After  infinite  labor  we  got  the  topsails 
clewed  up,  the  foresail  hauled  up,  and  the  staysail 
hauled  down. 

The  Kanakas  were  almost  useless.  In  the  in- 
tense darkness  they  could  not  find  the  ropes,  and 
they  seemed  paralyzed  by  the  unparalleled  roar  of 
the  tempest.  When  we  went  aloft  to  furl  the  top- 
sails, they  went  with  us,  but  neither  persuasion  nor 
blows  could  induce  them  to  get  upon  the  yards. 
They  clung  in  the  rigging,  indifferent  to  all  that  was 
said  or  done  to  them. 

I  shall  never  forget  the  toil,  and  the  consequent 
exhaustion  of  that  night.  When  at  length,  no  more 
could  be  done  towards  making  the  ship  snug,  we 
dragged  ourselves,  with  limbs  trembling  with  fatigue, 
to  our  respective  stations.  This  gale  abated  the  next 
day.  The  incompetency  exhibited  by  the  Kanakas 
made  us  dread  the  occurrence  of  the  next. 

An  accident  befell  Big  Man  one  day.  At  the 
foot  of  the  forecastle  steps  was  a  hatchway  opening 
into  the  lower  hold.  For  some  purpose  the  st^ps 
were  removed,  and  this  hatchway  opened.  Big  Man 
came  from  the  wheel,  and  not  knowing  what  had 
been  done,  and  without  looking  before  him,  began 
to  descend  into  the  forecastle  as  if  the  steps  were 
there.  He  fell,  of  course,  and  in  falling  he  con- 
trived to  turn  heels  up,  and  go  through  the  hatch-  i 


2GS  REMINISCENCES    OF    A 

way  below  head  foremost.  On  the  keelson,  just 
under  this  hatchway,  the  kedge  anchor  was  lying, 
and  about  it  quite  a  number  of  sacks  of  coarse  salt. 
As  he  came  down,  Big  Man's  head  struck  fairly  on 
the  shank  of  the  anchor,  and  his  body  bumped 
down  upon  the  sacks  of  salt.  How  far  were  his 
brains  scattered?  the  reader  may  ask. 

He  was  a  man  weighing  three  hundred  pounds, 
and  he  had  fallen  twenty  feet  without  hindrance, 
and  had  alighted  head  foremost  on  the  shank  of  an 
anchor.  The  inquiry  is  pertinent — How  far  were 
his  brains  scattered  ? 

If  he  had  any,  they  were  undisturbed.  His  sole 
hurt  was  a  piece  of  scalp  knocked  off ! 

Now,  in  the  name  of  common  sense,  of  what  was 
the  skull  composed  that  withstood  such  a  shock?  If 
of  common  material,  how  thick  was  it? 

Again  my  mind  reverted  to  my  Kanaka  on  the 
hill  behind  Honolulu.  Fancy  should  play  me  no 
more  such  tricks,  I  resolved.  In  what  way  would 
a  mere  thirty-two  pound  cannon  ball,  dashed  by  a 
human  hand,  harm  the  head  of  a  Kanaka  ? 

How  invaluable  is  experience! 


VOYAGE  ABOUND  THE  WORLD.         209 


CHAPTER    XXIV. 


WHIRLWINDS. — THE     MONKEYS     PERFORM. THE     HOO- 

GLY. CALCUTTA     AT    LAST. 

!XE  whole  season,  as  we  measure  time  here 
j§)  in  our  temperate  zone,  had  passed  since  we 
left  Honolulu,  we  were  in  the  middle  of  a  second, 
and  still  our  destination  was  distant.  The  weather 
was  very  fretful,  and  the  safety  of  the  ship  required 
unremitting  vigilance  on  the  part  of  the  officers. 

We  thought  one  day,  even  after  the  Bay  of  Ben- 
gal was  no  longer  remote,  that  we  should  never 
sail  upon  its  waters,  and  that  our  prolonged  voyage 
would  suddenly  end  in  the  .  quiet  of  the  ocean's 
depths. 

A  chaffing,  vexing,  wearying  morning  had  suc- 
ceeded a  laborious  night.  The  varying  wind,  un- 
steady in  force  and  direction,  had  brought  us  to 
close  reefs,  and  then  died  away.  While  we  waited, 
grimly  watching  the  leaden  sky  and  blank  horizon, 
roaring,  shrieking,  and  whistling  sounds  arose  ahead 
of  us,  astern  of  us,  on  the  right  hand  and  on  the 
left.     And  >n  as  many  directions,  and  more,  not  lar 


210  eeminiscenc.es  or   * 

off,  the  water  became  agitated.  It  rose  and  fell 
like  water  boiling  over  a  fire.  It  foamed,  and  a 
thick  mist  went  up  from  it.  Then  the  water  itself 
rose  slowly  up — rose  as  the  potter's  clay  rises — and 
the  hand  of  the  fierce  whirlwind  shaped  it.  From 
the  peaked  tops  the  great  drops  rained  off  like  drops 
from  a  whirling  water-wheel.  These  creations,  re- 
ceiving the  power  of  motion,  began  to  traverse  the 
sea.  Some  moved  towards  us — some  went  from  us. 
They  performed  a  kind  of  solemn  dance,  approach- 
ing each  other  and  retiring  again,  and  swaying 
measuredly  from  side  to  side.  It  Avas  a  superstition 
among  the  Arabs  that  whirlwinds  on  the  desert,  and 
whirlwinds  and  waterspouts  on  the  sea  were  caused 
by  swift  motions  of  the  evil  Genii.  It  was  easy  to 
conceive  of  these  objects  about  us  as  gigantic  Jinnees 
dancing  to  appropriate  music,  which  they  themselves 
furnished.  Gigantic  Jinnees.  I  say,  for  these  flexible 
columns  of  water  were,  in  height,  from  thirty  to 
fifty  feet.  We  stood  watching  the  approaching  mon- 
sters, anticipating  destruction,  but  giving  it  no 
thought.  Escape  seemed  impossible ;  the  ship  was 
motionless — there  was  not  a  breath  of  wind  to  fill 
the  little  sail  that  was  spread. 

But  our  time  was  not  come.  One  that  had  been 
slowly  approaching  on  our  larboard  beam-— one  that 
we  expected  would  fall  upon  us  and  rend  us  to 
shreds,  hurling  our  spars   aloft   as    an    angry   child 


VOYAGE  ABOUND  THE  WORLD.         27 1 

hurls  jackstraws — that  one  an  Unseen  Hand  turned 
aside,  and  it  went  roaring  by  our  bow.  Another 
at  the  same  time,  was  moving  down  upon  our  star- 
board quarter.  There  seemed  no  possibility  of  es- 
cape. Indeed,  we  had  no  hope.  Cut  the  Unseen 
Hand  was  again  stretched  out.  A  puff  of  wind 
struck  us  on  the  starboard  bow,  and  the  ship  wore 
slowly  round  and  moved  away. 

The  whirlwind,  having  in  its  embrace  the  writh- 
ing column  of  water,  passed  by  our  stern,  then  bent 
around  on  a  course  parallel  to  ours,  and  moved  past 
us,  for  our  breath  of  wind  had  died  away. 

There  was  a  fascination  in  this  scene  which  it  is 
impossible  to  describe.  I  think  we  must  have  felt 
as  those  feel  who  are  charmed  by  serpents.  The 
appalling  danger — just  as  apparent  as  it  could  be — 
was  more  than  balanced  by  the  awful  charm  of  its 
appearing. 

These  water-sprites  did  not  disfigure  the  sea  long. 
Their  proportions  grew  more  and  more  shrunken, 
and  in  less  than  half  an  hour  from  their  birth.,  they 
were  drowned  in  a  torrent  of  rain. 

Once  in  the  Bay  of  Bengal,  we  saw  vessels  fre- 
quently. Now  and  then  a  Bengal  junk  went  by, 
exciting  our  mirth  by  her  grotesque  appearance. 

Occasionally  we  had  exhibitions  of  turtles.  Two 
monstrous  fellows  were  discovered  close  alongside 
one  day.      The  appearance  of  the  ship    seemed   to 


272  REMINISCENCES    OF    A 

frighten  them,  and  they  set  all  their  locomotive 
powers  in  hurried  motion.  It  was  not  strange  that 
Paddy,  on  seeing  the  head,  legs,  and  other  members 
of  a  turtle  struggling  beneath  the  rim  of  his  shell, 
exclaimed,  "  Arrah,  here's  a  box  full  of  snakes ! " 

Our  monkeys  were  very  mischievous.  They  car- 
ried things  hither  and  thither,  and  it  was  very  diffi- 
cult to  find  them  when  wanted. 

When  we  drew  near  the  head  of  the  Bay,  the 
deep  sea  lead  and  line  were  brought  up,  to  be  pre- 
pared for  accurate  sounding.  In  order  to  do  this, 
a  space  of  a  certain  number  of  fathoms  in  extent 
was  measured  off  on  one  side  of  the  main  deck,  the 
extremities  chalked  off,  and  the  line  stretched  from 
one  to  the  other. 

All  these  movements  the  monkeys  watched  with 
breathless  interest,  from  the  main  hatch.  Suddenly 
they  all  disappeared.  Having  occasion,  a  few  min- 
utes afterwards,  to  cross  to  the  other  side  of  the 
deck,  to  my  great  amazement  I  found  them  imita- 
ting our  movements  as  nearly  as  they  could — and 
the  imitation  was  very  good,  I  assure  you. 

They  had  been  around  forward  of  the  house  and 
stolen  our  chalk,  and  into  the  house  and  stolen  a 
ball  of  cotton  twine.  Their  space  on  the  deck — 
about  equal  to  ours — had  already  been  measured  and 
chalked ;  and  when  I  came  upon  them,  one  sat  by 
the  after  mark  holding  the  end  of  the  twine,  while 


VOYAGE     AROUND    THE    WOULD.  273 

another  was  going  forward  with  the  ball,  unwinding 
as  he  went.  The  others  sat  by  the  forward  mark, 
looking  as  grave  and  wise  as  owls. 

I  drew  back  and  told  what  was  going  on,  and 
all  crossed  over  to  witness  the  performance.  But 
it  seemed  that  the  monkeys  could  not  abide  spec- 
tators. Finding  themselves  observed,  they  left  their 
job  in  a  poor  state  of  completion,  and  ran   off. 

It  is  recorded  that  there  have  been  people  who 
believed  that  monkeys  could  both  speak  and  under- 
stand human  language,  but  would  not  exercise  their 
gifts  for  fear  of  being  set  to  work.  If  that  is  the 
ease,  they  are  not  very  observing,  else  they  would 
see  that  among  men,  those  who  talk  most  work 
least.     "Great  talkers,  little  doers"  you  know. 

October  20th  we  reached  green  water,  and  found 
bottom  with  the  lead.  We  had  reached  the  Sand 
Heads.  After  beating  about  for  a  day  or  two  in 
the  vicinity  of  Point  Palmiras  and  Balasora  Roads, 
we  reached  the  Floating  Light,  and  got  a  pilot. 

The  land  about  the  mouth  of  the  Hoogly  is  very 

low  and  even.      When  making  it  we  saw  first    the 

trees  which  grow  along  the  shore — or,  I  should  say, 

the  branches  of  the    trees,  for    the    branches   were 

|  visible  before  the  trunks,  and  had    the    appearance 

'  of  being  suspended  in  the  air.     By-and-by  the   low 

bank  came  to  view,  and  finally    the    trunks    of  the 

*  trees,  linking  the  land  and  branches  together. 

Voyage  Around  the  World.  x  w 


274  REMINISCENCES    OF    A 

I  pass  over  the  names  of  localities,  some  of  which 
were  peculiar  and  profane,  and  over  the  stories  of 
the  pilot  about  wrecks,  quicksands,  tigers  and 
alligators. 

From  the  mouth  of  the  river  to  the  city  the  dis- 
tance is  about  one  hundred  miles.  When  about  half 
way  up,  I  climbed  up  on  the  main  royal  yard  and 
took  a  look  about.  The  low  land  lay  as  level  as 
the  sea  on  a  calm  day.  In  some  places  there  was 
a  thick  undergrowth  of  shrubs,  but  not  an  elevation 
of  land  anywhere  in  view  that  amounted  to  a  knoll. 
The  jackals  howled  hideously  through  the  nights. 
Often  by  day  we  could  see  them  on  the  shore,  con- 
tending with  the  buzzards  for  some  coveted  bit  of 
carrion.  They  must  have  been  very  numerous  on 
the  banks  of  the  river,  judging  from  the  noise  they 
made  in  their  nightly  concerts. 

As  we  drew  near  the  city  we  met,  frequently, 
the  great,  awkward  river  boats  descending.  Finally 
we  arrived  safely  at  our  destination,  and  the  ship 
was  moored  off  one  of  the  ghauts  or  landing  places 
of  the  city.  Many  vessels  lay  in  the  stream,  dis- 
charging or  receiving  cargo. 

We  had  not  been  long  moored  before  a  milkman 
made  his  appearance,  and  offered  to  furnish  us  with 
milk  during  our  stay.  He  brought  a  sample  of  his 
milk  with  him  to  be  tested,  which,  on  trial,  was 
found  very  good.     So  on  his  next  visit  he  was  en- 


VOYAGE    AROUND    THE    WORLD.  275 

couraged  to  make  a  business  of  coming.  A  Sabbath 
occurring  soon,  I  purchased  on  my  own  account,  a 
quart  of  the  lacteal  fluid  from  him,  that  I  might 
enjoy  to  my  heart's  content — stomach's  capacity — 
a  favorite  dish,  hard  bread  and  milk.  As  soon  as 
the  milk  was  poured  out,  I  filled  a  bowl  and  broke 
in  the  bread,  and  then  left  it  to  soak  a  little  while. 
When  sufficient  time  had  elapsed  I  returned  to  the 
pantry,  my  mouth  watering,  and  anticipating  a  feast. 
There  seemed  to  be  a  lack  of  milk  in  the  bowl,  the 
bread  having  absorbed  it,  and  I  tojk  up  the  pitcher 
to  supply  the  deficiency.  But  when  I  looked  into 
it  I  found  it  filled  with  whitish  water.  I  tipped  it, 
and  saw  a  chalky  sediment  at  the  bottom.  I  shook 
it,  and  it  assumed  its  old  appearance  of  milk.  And 
this  mixture  was  to  pass  muster  for  milk,  generous, 
rich,  life-giving  milk ! 

1  submitted  the  contents  of  the  pitcher  to  the 
inspection  of  the  higher  powers,  and  threw  the  mess 
in  the  bowl  overboard.  When  our  smooth-faced, 
white-robed  milkman  mounted  the  side  the  next 
morning,  he  was  immediately  kicked  out  through 
an  open  port  into  his  dinghy,  and  there  was  an  end 
of  that  speculation. 

Subsequently  we  engaged  another  man  to  supply 
milk  for  our  coffee,  morning  and  noon-time.  He 
furnished  a  passable,  if  not  a  pure  article.  I  had 
my  hard  bread  and  milk  several  times,  but  I  could 
never  make  it  come  up  to  the  home  standard. 


27 G  REMINISCENCES    OF     A 

A  very  few  days  at  Calcutta  convinced  me  that 
it  was  not  a  place  for  me  to  thrive  in.  The  atmos- 
phere seemed  to  oppress  me,  and  I  was  conscious 
that  I  grew  weaker  daily. 

A  gang  of  Lascars,  under  the  dii  ection  of  a  chief 
or  foreman  (I  have  forgotten  his  local  title),  were 
engaged  to  do  duty  on  board.  A  number  of  these 
foremen  came  on  board  to  get  emplovment  for  them- 
selves  and  their  gangs.  They  brought  with  them, 
and  exhibited  with  great  confidence,  recommenda- 
tions from  the  various  captains  whom  they  had 
served.  They  could  not  read  English,  and  on  that 
account  some  of  the  documents  which  they  presented 
for  recommendations  did  not  contain  much  to  their 
credit. 

The  one  whom  my  father  engaged  offered  as  a 
recommendation  a  paper  from  an  English  captain, 
which  certified  that  the  bearer  was  a  "  great  cheat, 
rascal,  liar,  and  knave  generally." 

What  consideration  led  him  to  accept  the  ser- 
vices of  such  a  character,  I  cannot  imagine,  unless 
it  was  this:  He  might  be  disappointed  in  anyone 
whom  he  engaged.  In  this  one  he  could  only  be 
agreeably  disappointed. 

We  had  some  pigs  on  board,  and  they  often  had 
the  privilege  of  walking  the  main  deck.  It  was 
amusing  to  us  to  see  how  fearful  our  Lascars  were 
of  coming  in  contact  with  them.     Your  true  Hindoo, 


VOYAGE    ABOUND    THE    WORLD.  277 

even  of  the  Soodra  caste,  abominates  swine  as  much 
as  your  Jew,  or  Mussulman. 

Many  a  horrid  look  Lave  I  brought  upon  myself, 
many  a  hearty  Hindoo  curse,  and  many  a  threat  of 
blood-letting  by  the  handy  sheath-knife,  upon  which 
the  hand  was  laid,  and  all  because  I  drove  the  pigs 
amonc;  them.  I  had  no  idea  then  that  I  was  run- 
ning  any  risk,  but  now  I  really  believe  that  had  I 
driven  a  grunter  against  one  of  those  bigoted,  su- 
perstitious, idolatrous,  heathen  wretches,  he  would 
have  run  his  sheath-knife  into  me  with  a  superla- 
tively, pious  fury. 

These  people  did  not  possess  much  physical 
strength.  And  for  that  matter,  how  could  they  ? 
Their  whole  subsistence  was  rice  and  curry,  and  they 
did  not  eat  as  much  of  that  in  one  day  as  I  should 
require  (barring  the  curry,  of  which  more  hereafter,) 
for  a  luncheon. 

While  they  were  emploved  on  board  the  casks 
of  nails  and  spikes,  to  which  I  have  before  referred, 
were  discharged  to  make  room  for  the  coming  cargo. 
They  performed  a  part  of  the  labor,  and  it  was 
while  they  were  about  it  that  I  noticed  how  weak 
they  were.  It  was  only  by  the  greatest  exertion 
that  one  of  them  could  tip  a  cask  of  nails  from  its 
bilge  upon  its  head.  My  brother,  who  was  carry- 
ing on  the  work,  would  get  out  of  all  patience  with 
them,  and,  as  an  example  for  them  to  emulate,  would 


278  REMINISCENCES    OP    A 

catch  up  a  cask,  and  tossing  it  as  high  as  his  head, 
catch  it  again  as  it  fell.  They  took  it  all  as  a 
matter  of  course,  however,  and  seemed  to  be  well 
aware  of  the  superior  strength  of  Europeans  and 
Americans.  Yes,  and  of  Kanakas  too ;  for  Big  Man 
would  now  and  then  show  them  something  worth 
regarding. 

When  they  hoisted  in  concert  they  had  their 
accompaniment  of  song.  As  many  of  them  as  could 
get  about  a  fall  or  rope,  would  seize  hold  of  it, 
and  when  the  signal  was  given  to  hoist,  one  would 
lead  off  something  after  this  sort : 

u 'Jenny  Skinner" 

This  brief  stanza  of  one  line  was,  after  a  proper 
interval,  followed  by  a  chorus  as  brief,  all  ejacula- 
ting in  concert — 

"Hayiyah" 
and  settling  away  upon  the  fall 

Leader — " Copell  Pitchell." 

AW— "Hay  iy  ah."     (Pull.) 

Leader — "  Grando  Pegrum." 

All— "Hayiyah."     (Pull.)     Etc. 

But  what  shall  I  say  of  the  appearance  of  the 
city,  and  what  of  the  appearance  of  the  sacred  river, 
the  principal  outlet  of  the  most  sacred  Ganges  ? 
Some,  who  have  been  disgusted  by  my  prolixity  in 
former  chapters,  will  anticipate  something  very  long 
drawn  here.     They  will  find  me  brief,  however.     I 


VOYAGE  AROUND  THE  WORLD.         279 

learned  but  little,  comparatively,  of  the  city  and 
river,  and  I  shall  not  exceed  what  I  beheld  and 
knew.  This  is  a  veritable  narrative,  whatever  its 
merits  may  be  in  other  respects. 

Come  with  me  and  behold  the  river  Hoogly. 
Let  us  take  a  position  here  at  the  break  of  the 
poop,  and  observe  it  attentively.  Look  up  towards 
its  source. 

Does  it  come  from  far? 

It  is  formed  by  a  junction  of  the  Cossimbazar 
and  Jellinghy  rivers,  the  western  branches  of  the 
Ganges,  and  the  distance  from  here  to  that  junction 
is  fifty-five  miles.  You  can  see  that  it  is  a  respecta- 
ble river  for  width.  From  u  Old  Fort  Ghaut,"  here 
on  our  right,  across  to  Howra,  is  a  mile,  almost. 
Its  waters  are  decently  deep,  also,  though  you  don't 
see  that,  for  it  is  rather  thick  and  muddy.  There 
are  more  rapid  rivers,  but  you  may  know  from  the 
strain  on  the  cables  of  the  shipping  that  the  waters 
of  the  Hoogly  do  not  stand  still. 

What  is  that  object  up  the  river  yonder,  floating 
down  with  the  current? 

Let  us  wait  until  the  current  brings  it  nearer  to  us. 

Why,  it  looks  like  a  drowned  man ! 

It  is  the  body  of  a  human  being — dead,  though 
not  drowned;  a  naked,  swollen,  putrid  human  body. 
And  see  that  crow  light  on  it,  and  peck  at  the  pro- 
truding, staring  eyeballs.     Horrid  !  horrid  ! 


280  REMINISCENCES    OF    A 

But  we  cannot  rid  ourselves  of  the  disagreeable 
impression  by  turning  away  our  eyes.  Similar  ob- 
jects are  seen  in  all  directions.  There,  towards  the 
western  shore,  swimming  deep,  and  preyed  upon  by 
three  crows,  is  another  bloated  body.  Here  are  two 
more  in  the  direction  of  the  landing,  and  more  are 
coming  in  sight  far  up.  High  feasts  these  afford 
for  the  jackals  and  buzzards ! 

Plentiful  as  these  bodies  appear  to  be,  they  are 
few  when  the  present  is  compared  with  earlier  times. 
The  English,  since  they  acquired  power  in  the  land, 
have  labored,  and  with  some  success,  to  abolish  the 
barbarous  custom  of  the  natives,  which  consigns  so 
many  bodies  to  the  waters  of  the  river. 


VOYAGE    AROUND    THE   WORLD.  281 


CHAPTER    XXV. 


AT  CALCUTTA.  —  CURRY. — EXEUNT  THE  KANAKAS. 

EXPERIENCE  AND  OBSERVATION. 

,ALCUTTA  is  called  the  "  City  of  Palaces." 
^Hl  It  is  also,  more  inelegantly,  termed  the  "  City 
of  Mnd  Huts."  Looking  at  it  from  the  river,  one 
saw  the  justice  of  both  names.  From  Fort  William 
and  the  esplanade,  far  up,  stretched  a  long  line  of 
most  palatial  buildings,  right  lordly  dwellings.  But 
as  the  eye  surveyed  them,  it  fell  also  on  numerous 
miserable  mud  huts.  In  the  same  degree  that  the 
former  were  lofty  and  dignified  piles,  the  latter  were 
low  and  mean  habitations. 

On  the  occasion  of  my  first  visit  to  the  shore, 
my  father  took  me  along  with  him.  We  went  first 
to  the  places  of  business  of  several  merchants,  and 
then  to  the  office  of  the  American  consul. 

At  this  place  I  saw  a  very  ingenious  device  for 
"  raising  the  wind."  The  partition  wall  at  one  end 
of  the  room  constituted  a  gigantic  fan.  It  moved 
on  hinges  at  the  top,  and  when  swung  vigorously, 
as  was  the  case  then,  got  up  a  fine  circulation  in 
the    apartment. 


282  EEMINISCENCES    OP    A 

We  dined  with  the  Consul.  There  were  other 
guests,  one  English,  and  several  American  captains. 
The  dinner  was  East  Indian — chickens,  rice,  etc., 
and  the  everlasting  curry. 

My  curse  upon  curry !  I  had  never  tasted  it 
before.  I  saw  the  others  convey  it  to  their  mouths 
in  considerable  quantities,  and  swallow  it  with  ap- 
parent relish.  I  supposed  that  Icould,  and  should,  do 
the  same.  So,  with  all  the  rashness  with  which  a 
boy  attacks  a  new  and  apparently  dainty  article  of 
diet,  I  put  a  quantity  in  my  mouth,  overlooking  for 
the  moment,  that  it  was  a  condiment,  and  not  to 
be  taken  by  the  mouthful.  Fire  is  not  hotter  than 
was  that  mouthful  of  curry.  In  that  company  I  could 
not  indulge  myself  in  spitting  it  out,  and  howling 
in  my  anguish,  as  I  was  almost  irresistibly  impelled 
to  do.  Therefore  I  swallowed  it  as  rapidly  as  I 
could,  and  sent  with  it  and  poured  after  it,  a  large 
goblet  of  ice  water.  I  curled  my  toes  in  my  agony. 
I  opened  my  mouth  and  inhaled  the  outer  air. 
Better  the  fox  of  the  Spartan  youth,  gnawing  at 
the  vitals,  than  the  fire  of  that  accursed  compound, 
searing  throat  and  chest.  The  tears  started  from 
my  eyes  and  coursed  down  my  cheeks.  And  all 
the  time  I  covered  my  distress  by  an  appearance 
of  interest  in  what  was  transpiring  before   me. 

Curry  is  a  conglomeration,  consisting  of  tumeric, 
onions,    coriander,    mustard,    black    pepper,   melted 


VOYAGE    ABOUND    THE    WORLD.  283 

butter,  fenugreek,  cocoa  nut  milk,  ginger,  cummin 
seed,  mushroom  powder,  ground  rice,  cayenne  pep- 
per, cardamons,  etc.     There's  a  list  for  you  ! 

The  elders — i.  e.,  all  but  myself — at  this  repast, 
talked  politics,  or  boasted  of  their  individual  deeds. 
I  could  not  but  notice  that  John  Bull  eclipsed  all 
others  in  the  latter  thing.  Drinking  and  smoking  suc- 
ceeded eating.  The  talking,  as  a  matter  of  course, 
increased.  There  was  now,  however,  one  silent  in- 
dividual besides  myself.  One  American  captain,  a 
young  man,  said  nothing,  but  occupied  the  time  in 
vainly  trying  to  stand  two  cigars  upon  their  ends 
and  lay  a  third  one  across  on  top.  He  could  set 
two  upon  their  ends,  but  when  the  third  one  was 
laid  upon  them  they  all  fell  down.  From  the  Con- 
sul's we  returned  directly  to  the  ship. 

The  California  passengers  had  left  a  great  many 
empty  bottles  on  board.  Some  may  be  curious  to 
know  what  they  contained  when  full,  for  no  one  can 
suppose  they  brought  them  on  board  empty.  It  was 
neither  water  nor  milk — so  in  guessing  (for  I  shall 
not  tell  what  was  in  them),  do  not  guess  either  of 
those  things.  These  bottles  I  had  collected  together, 
and  now  I  bartered  them  for  oranges.  They  pro- 
cured me  quite  a  supply. 

I  have  already  said  that  the  air  of  Calcutta  did 
not  agree  with  me.  At  the  time  when  I  possessed 
myself  of  the  oranges  I  was   much    debilitated.      I 


284  KEMIXISCENCES    OF    A 

suffered  no  pain  of  any  consequence,  but  grew 
weaker  every  day.  In  order  to  favor  my  illness, 
and  at  the  same  time  to  make  me  useful,  I  was  direct- 
ed to  middle-stitch  the  topgallant  sails.  When  sails 
are  made,  the  breadths  of  canvass  are  lapped  when 
they  are  sewed  together.  To  middle-stitch  a  sail 
is  to  run  a  thread  through  the  middle  of  the  parts 
that  lap  over.     The  effect  is  to  strengthen  the  seam. 

The  topgallant  sails  were  lying  with  the  other 
sails  on  the  deck  in  the  forward  cabin.  This  was 
in  the  shade,  of  course,  and  by  opening  all  the 
doors  and  windows  I  secured  a  cooling  current  of 
air.  Here  I  would  sit,  with  some  of  my  oranges 
about  me,  and  sew.  When  tired  I  would  lie  back 
upon  the  sails  and  rest,  or  sit  up  and  indulge  in  an 
orange  or  two.  After  a  while  Joe  Bacon,  having  be- 
come partially  disabled,  was  joined  with  me  in  the 
duty  of  middle-stitching. 

We  really  enjoyed  ourselves,  talking,  eating 
oranges,  and  working  very  cautiously.  One  day 
our  tete-a-tete  was  interrupted  by  an  angry  alterca- 
tion not  far  off.  Two  individuals  no  less  renowned 
than  Doctor  Henry  Brown,  and  his  worthy  coad- 
jutor, John  Gilpin,  were  at  loggerheads.  It  was 
plain  enough  that  the  Doctor  had  been  imbibing 
some  of  his  favorite  gin,  and  something  had  also 
strangely  loosened  the  tongue  of  John. 

"  Jes'  tell  me,"  roared  the  Doctor,  in  a  tone  that 


VOYAGE    AROUND    THE    WORLD.  285 

at  once  arrested  our  attention,  "  how  you  'spect  to 
get  'long  board  de  ship.  De  capen  say  you  be  a 
fool — nebber  make  a  sailor,  an'  tell  you  to  help  de 
cook.  Help  de  cook!  Why,  you  bodder  my  soul 
out." 

To  these  pointed  remarks  John  Gilpin  returned 
a  volley  of  Kanaka  gibberish. 

"  You  'tend  to  start  ?  I  don't  cal'late  to  tolerate 
dis  much  more.  I  show  you  a  new  ting.  Go  light 
de  fire — go  light  de  fire." 

Another  volley  of  Kanaka  from  John,  but  no 
movement. 

"  I  tell  you  jes'  dis  once — go  light  de  fire  ! " 

Volley,  as  before. 

The  disputants  stood  about  three  paces  apart. 
The  Doctor  did  not  wait  for  John  to  finish  his  reply, 
but  at  once  laid  violent  hands  on  him.  It  was 
David  assailing  Goliath.  After  some  skirmishing, 
Africa  was  victorious,  and  Oceanica  was  laid  upon 
his  back  in  the  passage-way  leading  out  of  the  cabin. 
The  Doctor  who  had  fallen  upon  his  antagonist, 
endeavored  to  rise,  but  was  foiled  in  this.  John 
now  began  to  make  some  points,  and  was  like  to 
turn  the  Doctor  under.  Joe  and  I  thought  it  time 
to  go  to  the  rescue.  We  did  not  rush,  for  we  wt?re 
very  weak,  but  we  reached  the  scene  of  action  after 
a  while.  Joe  grappled  into  John's  hair  and  held 
his  head  down,  while  I  held  one  of  his  arms.      This 


286  REMINISCENCES    OF    A 

must  have  seemed  a  good  deal  like  unfair  play  to 
John,  for  he  began  to  shout  out  a  single  Kanaka 
word  most  lustily.  Suspecting  that  he  was  calling 
on  the  Kanakas  in  the  hold  for  help,  I  laid  my 
hand  across  his  mouth  to  silence  him.  But  he  gave 
my  hand  a  savage  bite,  and  went  on  with  his  yell- 
ing. It  was  an  amusing  struggle.  We  seemed 
Lilliputians  contending  with  Gulliver.  Having  a 
hand  to  spare  now,  the  Doctor,  who  was  astride 
of  his  foe,  picked  up  a  long  strip  of  board  that  the 
carpenter  had  left  there  a  little  while  before,  and  struck 
at  John's  head  again  and  again.  His  aim  was  not 
good,  for  he  did  not  hit  John  at  all,  but  he  kept  Joe  and 
I  dodging  pretty  sharply.  Meantime  my  father  and 
the  custom-house  officer,  who  were  walking  the  deck 
above,  heard  the  noise,  and  came  down  to  seek  the 
cause.  They  came  into  the  cabin  just  when  the 
Doctor  was  trying  to  belabor  John's  head.  As  my 
father  came  near,  the  Doctor,  who  was  not  aware 
of  his  presence,  swung  back  his  board  for  a  mighty 
blow,  aud  gave  the  captain  a  smart  back-stroke  on 
the  side  of  his  head.  He  seized  the  stick,  and  the 
Doctor,  looking  around,  was  greeted  with  a  severe 
interrogation : 

•"What's  all  this?" 
The  Doctor  was  noways  disconcerted. 
"  Bery  sorry  I  hit  yer,  Capen— didn't  'tend  for  to  do 
it — didn't  know  yer  was  about.    I  axes  yer  pardon." 


VOYAGE  AROUND  THE  WORLD.         287 


e< 


Well,  well — but  what  are  you  fighting  about?" 

"Axes  yer  pardon  agin,  Capen,  but  dis  ain't 
Sghtin'.  Dis  feller  here,  John,  gib  me  sass.  I  show 
him  a  new  ting.     'Spect  he's  drunk — inebbe  crazy." 

Just  then  up  through  the  hatchway  poured  all 
the  Kanakas,  and  at  their  heels  came  the  mate. 

John  became  silent.  His  countrymen  were  also 
silent.  They  stood  grouped  about  the  hatchway, 
evidently  undecided  what  to  do. 

The  Doctor  got  up  from  sitting  astride  of  John. 
Joe  and  I  moved  to  one  side.  This  left  John  un- 
restrained, but  he  did  not  move.  He  lay  still  on 
his  back,  glaring  at  us  with  eyes  as  red  as  fire  coals. 
The  captain  ordered  irons  to  be  put  upon  his  wrists. 
He  submitted  to  the  operation  quietly.  Then  the 
Kanakas  were  ordered  below  again  to  their  work. 
They  went  obediently.  When  the  last  one  had  dis- 
appeared in  the  hold  the  mate  turned  to  the  pros- 
trate John,  and  having  kicked  him  two  or  three 
times  violently,  himself  descended  into  the  hold. 
My  father  and  the  officer  were  already  gone.  The 
Doctor  was  "  lightin'  de  fire  "  himself.  Joe  and  I, 
only,  witnessed  the  brutality  of  the  mate. 

From  our  cushion  of  sails  we  continued  to  ob- 
serve John.  All  alone,  he  lay  there  upon  his  back, 
his  burning  eyes  fixed  upon  the  deck  above,  his 
wrists  bound  bv  the  ignominious  bracelets.  What 
were  his  thoughts,  poor  fellow  ?     Did  he  regret  that 


288  REMINISCENCES    OF   A 

lie  had  left  his  far  off  lovely  Woahoo  ?  Did  he  ac- 
cuse his  shipmates  of  cowardice,  and  the  white  men 
of  cruelty?  Did  he  still  feel  the  dastardly  kicks  of 
the  mate?  Did  he  meditate  revenge,  or  was  he, 
after  all,  in  a  state  of  stupefaction  ? 

Before  night  a  policeman  came  off  from  the  shore 
and,  taking  off  John's  iron  handcuffs,  replaced  them 
by  a  brass  pair  that  he  took  from  his  pocket.  Then 
he  beckoned  to  the  unhappy  Kanaka,  and  they  pro- 
ceeded to  the  boat,  and  the  boat  proceeded  to  the 
shore.     Never  again  did  I  behold  John  Gilpin. 

Miserable  Kanaka,  it  was  a  hard,  and  an  inex- 
orable fate  that  dragged  thee  from  the  sweet  isle 
of  thy  nativity,  from  the  sight  of  its  dark  mountain 
peaks,  and  the  shade  of  its  tall  cocoa  nut  trees  ! 
Never  more  shalt  thou  wet  thy  tawny  skin  in  the 
shining  surges  of  the  coral  reefs,  or  paddle  the  out- 
riggered  canoe.  For  thy  relishing  palate  never  more 
shall  pig  be  roasted,  or  yam,  or  sweet  potatoe,  and 
poi — ah,  poi!  Thou  wilt  regret  that  greatest  and 
most  appreciated  luxury,  even  shouldst  thou  sup  on 
ambrosia  with  thy  long-worshipped  heathen  gods ! 
John  died  of  fever  in  the  city  of  Calcutta. 

My  father  and  the  mate  had  disagreed  on  the 
voyage,  and  they  continued  to  disagree  in  port.  The 
result  was  the  discharge  of  the  mate.  He  gathered 
together  his  goods,  caught  his  monkey  and  paro- 
quette,  and  left  us.     Shortly  after,  all  the  Kanakas, 


VOYAGE    AROUND    THE    WORLD.  289 

except  one,  ran  off.  They  received  some  money 
and  liberty  to  go  on  shore,  and  only  one,  young 
John  Steward,  returned.  This  defection  did  not 
grieve  us  much. 

A  new  mate  was  soon  shipped,  an  Englishman 
named  Porter.  He  had  been  long  in  the  East 
Indies,  and  understood  and  spoke  the  language  of 
the  people.  Also  he  was  an  excellent  man,  and  a 
prime  sailor,  but  being  only  a  man,  he  could  not 
be  faultless — he  drank  hard. 

The  second  time  I  went  on  shore  I  weut  early 
in  the  morning  with  this  man,  Mr.  Porter,  who,  on 
account  of  his  knowledge  of  the  language  and  cus- 
toms, did  the  marketing.  He  had,  the  day  before, 
pitched  a  waterman  out  of  the  ship  into  his  dinghy 
for  some  insolence,  and  the  fellow  vowed  to  have 
revenge.  So  he  took  me  with  him  on  this  particu- 
lar morning  in  the  capacity  of  a  body  guard,  as  he 
apprehended  the  waterman  would  be  on  the  look- 
out for  him,  with  some  friends  to  back  him  up.  I 
was  quite  weak  then,  but  my  large  frame  made  a 
very  good  show.  It  was  quite  early  in  the  morn- 
ing, as  I  have  said,  and  all  classes  were  not  astir. 
As  usual,  a  larsre  number  of  dinsdiv-men  were  col- 
lected  at  the  Ghaut,  and  others  were  strung  all 
along  from  thence  to  the  market  place.  When  we 
were  about  half  way  there,  Mr.  Porter  espied  his 
enemy,   and  pointed  him  out  to  me.     If  angry  fea- 

1  Q 
Voyage  >round  the  World.  x  m 


290  REMINISCENCES    OP    A 

tures  and  furious  glances  could  kill,  we  should  both 
have  fallen  down  dead.  Bat  they  do  not,  and  we 
came  off  safely,  for  he  used  nothing  else  against   us. 

Many  people  were  wending  their  way  to  market. 
Here  and  there  a  jackal  sneaked  away  to  less  fre- 
quented  streets.  Solitary  adjutant  birds  stalked  sol- 
emnly about.  Now  and  then  an  officer  cantered 
his  horse  across  the  esplanade  in  the  direction  of 
the  fort.  As  soon  as  our  purchases  were  made,  we 
returned  directly  to  the  ship. 

The  next  day  the  carpenter  invited  my  brother 
and  myself  to  take  a  day's  cruise  on  shore  with 
him.  He  had  been  making  some  writing  desks  of 
teak,  and  intended  on  this  occasion  to  go  to  the 
Bazaar  to  buy  brass  trimmings  for  them. 

After  landing  we  trudged  along  the  hot,  dusty 
streets,  and  found  but  little  to  interest  us  until  we 
reached  the  neighborhood  of  the  Bazaar.  Here  the 
scene  grew  a  little  more  agreeable,  and  I  went  for- 
ward with  a  stouter  heart.  I  was  really  too  weak 
and  too  much  unstrung  for  all  this  travel  in  the  hot 
sun,  but  I  had  not  taken  any  extensive  walk  about 
the  city,  and  I  could  not  resist  the  temptation  of  a 
stroll  with  my  brother  and  our  great  favorite,  the 
carpenter. 

We  had  not  been  long  in  the  Bazaar  before  a 
sharper   of   a    Hindoo,  attracted,  doubtless,  by   my 


VOYAGE    AROUND     THE    WORLD.  291 

verdant  appearance,  came  up  to  me,  and,  with  a 
profound  salaam,  offered  to  sell  me  a  piece  of  silk 
which  he  said  contained  eight  pocket  handkerchief 
patterns.     I  asked  the  price. 

"  Sixteen  rupees — a  notable  bargain." 

He  told  the  truth,  and  so  do  all  kindred  spirits 
when  making  similar  declarations — notable  bargains 
for  them. 

I  assured  the  man  that  the  article  was   beyond 

my  means  entirely,  and  walked  away.  But  the  silk 

merchant  would  not  be  put  off  thus.  He  overtook 
me,  and  urged  the  matter  upon  me. 

"  Sahib  will  do  well  to  examine  the  texture  of 
the  silk.  It  is  of  unusual  fineness.  Such  is  not 
often  offered  to  a  customer  in  this  city." 

I  could  not  do  otherwise,  I  thought,  than  look 
at  it.  My  brother  and  the  carpenter  joined  me.  A 
glance  showed  this  extraordinary  piece  of  goods  to 
be  a  sham.  We  told  the  owner  so,  and  turned  our 
backs  upon  him.  With  a  pertinacity  that  would 
have  ranked  him  high  among  peddlers  in  this 
country,  he  pursued,  and  persecuted  me  for  an  offer. 

"  I  cannot  leave  Sahib,"  he  said,  "  until  he  has 
made  me  an  offer." 

"Make  him  a  small  offer,"  said  the  carpenter, 
"less  than  he  can  take;  and  then,  if  he  don't  clear 
out,  kick  him." 


292  REMINISCENCES    OF    A 

So  I  said  three  rupees. 

To  my  infinite  surprise  the  silk  was  extended  to 
me  with  a  low  obeisance,  and  these  words  : 

"  Sahib  is  a  sharp  customer.  He  over-reaches 
the  poor  Hindoo." 

Didn't  he  deserve  my  hat? 

Rid  of  that  pest,  we  went  on.  While  the  car- 
penter was  selecting  his  trimmings,  I  leaned  against 
a  post  and  scanned  the  passers  by. 

Soon  a  European  lady  came  tripping  along — 
tripping  so  daintily  that,  just  abreast  of  me,  she 
tripped  in  good  earnest,  and  fell  over.  Before  it 
was  evident  to  my  dull  perceptions  that  I  ought  to 
step  forward  and  aid  he  in  rising,  a  smiling,  sleek 
Hindoo,  the  proprietor  of  a  stall  opposite,  rushed 
out,  and  with  most  delicate  and  graceful  politeness, 
assisted  the  lady  up.  There  was  grace  and  ease  in 
all  his  motions.  He  smiled  and  bowed  with  such 
accomplished  gallantry  to  the  fair  one's  repeated 
acknowledgements,  that  I  beheld  him  with  wonder 
and  admiration. 

He  stood  a  moment  in  the  pathway  watching 
the  retiring  form  of  the  lady,  then,  turning,  cast  a 
glance  in  the  opposite  direction.  Instantly  I  saw 
no  common  satisfaction  leap  into  his  features.  He 
sprang  forward  again  with  the  same  graceful  activity 
which  he  had  displayed  while  assisting  the  lady,  and 


VOYAGE  AKOUND  THE  WOKLD.         293 

which  had  excited  my  admiration — to  do  what?  To 
raise  the  fresh  manure  of  a  cow,  and  dash  it  against 
a  wall,  to  dry  for  fuel.  Bali  !  Both  actions,  raising 
the  lady,  and  the  other,  were  exquisitely  performed. 
Which  gave  him  the  liveliest  satisfaction,  I 
wonder  ? 


294  REMINISCENCES    OF   A 


CHAPTER    XXVI. 


A  CHANGE  OF  MATES  AGAIN. SNAKE  CHARMERS  AND 

JUGGLERS. DEPARTURE  FROM  CALCUTTA. 

HAVE  said  that  Mr.  Porter  drank  hard.  He 
was  often  "  half  seas  over."  At  length  my 
father  said  to  him:  "  Mr.  Porter,  you  must  either 
quit  drink,  or  leave  the  ship.  I  like  you,  but  can- 
not endure  your  habit  of  drinking." 

"  Well,"  Mr.  Porter  answered,  "  we  will  part 
friends.  I  like  my  berth,  but  I  am  not  willing  to 
give  up  liquor." 

So  Mr.  Porter  went  on  shore,  regretted  by  all, 
for  he  was  a  pleasant  and  cheerful  man.  And  there 
was  a  vacancy. 

WANTED — A   MATE. 

A  few  days  afterwards,  I  was  sitting  under  the 
awning  on  the  poop  deck.  A  shore  boat  came 
alongside,  with  a  white  man  in  the  stern.  I  made 
a  careful  survey  of  him,  and  internally  pronounced 
him  a  clergyman,  but  an  unamiable  and  bigoted 
one.  He  came  on  board,  and  wished  to  see  the 
captain.  I  showed  him  into  the  cabin,  and  then, 
walking  to  the  stern,  lay  down  upon    the  transom. 


VOYAGE   ABOUND   THE    WORLD.  295 

"  You  want  a  mate,  captain  ?"  said  the  stranger. 

"Yes,  sir." 

"  I  would  like  the  situation.  I  think  I  can  give 
you  satisfaction." 

I  fairly  started.     That  man  a  seaman ! 

"I  discharged  my  last  mate,"  said  my  father, 
"because  he  drank.  I  want  a  steady  man.  There- 
fore you  will  excuse  me  if  I  ask  whether  you  drink 
or  not." 

"I  do  not,  sir.     I  am  strictly  temperate." 

After  a  little  more  conversation,  Mr.  Jackson — 
for  that  was  the  man's  name — was  engaged. 

About  the  time  that  Mr.  Jackson  joined  us,  I 
ceased  to  do  any  kind  of  work.  I  was  very  weak  ; 
and  to  walk  twice  the  length  of  the  ship  was  al- 
most too  much  exertion  for  me.  I  sat  most  of  the 
time  during  the  day  on  the  poop  deck  under  the 
awning,  and  watched,  in  a  listless,  uninterested  way, 
the  course  of  events. 

The  cargo  which  was  brought  to  the  ship  pre- 
sented quite  a  variety,  and  was  well  described  as 
an  assorted  cargo.  It  consisted  of  deer's  horns,  ar- 
rack, hides,  castor  oil,  tallow,  lac,  seeds,  etc. 

The  deck  was  almost  constantly  thronged  with 
native  laborers.  Their  almost  naked  bodies  mingled 
and  moved  before  my  eyes,  and  their  din  rang  in 
my  ears.  They  were  not  always  nude.  Once  in  a 
while  one  would  appear  in  a  very  original  (to  me) 


296  REMINISCENCES   OP   A 

costume — nothing  less  than  a  complete  coat  of  the 
mud  of  the  Hoogly.  It  was  a  source  of  wonder  to 
me  how  they  contrived  to  make  it  adhere  so  firmly. 
It  did  not  seem  to  interfere  with  the  free  use  of 
their  limbs.  One  felt  in  an  instant  that  these  were 
indeed  "  of  the  earth  earthy." 

"  Halloo  !  "  - 

This  prolonged  hail  would  come  over  the  water, 
followed  by  the  thumping  of  tom-toms,  and  the  clash 
of  cymbals.  Turning  my  head  to  seek  the  cause  of 
all  this  noise,  I  would  see  a  large  boat  drifting 
down  to  us  with  the  current.  Its  occupants,  jug- 
glers and  snake  charmers,  would  shout — 

"Halloo,  Sahib,  see  snakee  dance!  Very  fine 
snakee." 

They  would  shout  the  praises  of  their  snakes 
loudly,  as  they  drifted  by. 

"  We  will  come  on  board  very  quickly,"  they 
would  add.     "We  will  ask  but  little  monev.      We 

w 

will  cause  to  dance  very  much  four  very  beautiful 
snakes,  and  we  will  show  some  very  fine  tricks." 

All  in  vain.  No  one  would  have  leisure  to  see 
the  "  snakee  dance  "  but  myself,  and  however  much 
I  might  wish  it,  I  knew  they  would  not  be  allowed 
to  come  on  board  and  disturb  the  laborers.  I  would 
watch  the  boat  as  the  tide  carried  it  by.  When 
the  performers  realized  that  no  invitation  would  be 
extended  to  them   to    come    on    board,  thev   would 

m 


VOYAGE   ABOUND   THE   WORLD.  297 

gradually  cease  their  vociferations,  and  finally  hush 
their  voices  and  instruments  altogether,  and  gaze 
reproachfully  at  the  ship.  This  silence  would  denote 
the  death  of  hope  as  far  as  we  were  concerned. 

I  would  still  watch  them,  as  they  were  borne 
on  by  the  current.  Soon  they  would  turn  their  eyes 
from  us  down  stream.  Another  ship  would  lie  be- 
fore them.  Again  I  would  hear  a  faint  "  Halloo," 
and  the  distant  rub-a-dub  of  the  tom-toms  would  fall 
upon  my  ears.  This  new  burst  would  denote  the 
revival  of  hope,  and  the  praises  of  the  snakes  would 
be  repeated  to  other  ears.  Daily  these  boats  were 
passing  the  ship  and  soliciting  patronage. 

One  Sunday,  not  long  after  our  arrival,  I  was, 
at  one  hour,  the  sole  occupant  of  the  deck.  One 
of  these  boats  came  alongside,  and  I  invited  the 
performers  to  come  on  board.  In  an  instant 
they  were  upon  deck,  with  their  baskets  of  snakes 
and  bags  of  utensils.  The  show  began  at  once.  One 
old  fellow  opened  his  bag,  and  took  out  what  seemed 
to  me  to  be  a  common  cricket,  or  footstool,  cov- 
ered with  fur,  and  having  a  head  on  one  end.  This 
he  set  on  one  side,  and  treated  as  if  it  were  the 
genius  of  jugglery.  His  first  trick  I  did  not  com- 
prehend, because  of  the  rapidity  with  which  he  per- 
formed it.  The  second  was  to  produce  eggs  from 
a  bag  which  he  had  wrung  like  a  dish-cloth,  and 
beaten  upon  the  deck.     All  the  time  he  gesticulated 


298  REMINISCENCES    OF    A 

to,  he  supplicated,  he  apostrophized  his  fur-clad  idol. 
After  this  trick  the  music  struck  up,  the  snakes  were 
let  out,  and  the  dance  began.  The  reptiles  rose 
upon  their  tails  and  writhed  solemnly  about. 

At  this  juncture  the  performance  was  interrupted. 
The  music  had  attracted  all  hands  to  the  deck.  My 
father  no  sooner  saw  what  was  going  on  than  he 
ordered  the  performers  into  their  boat  immediately. 
I  threw  them  wThat  copper  coin  I  had.  The  snakes 
were  hurried  into  their  baskets,  the  magic  god  was 
bagged  again,  and  the  deck  was  clear  in  a  minute. 
Before  retiring  to  his  cabin  the  captain  positively 
forbid  the  introduction  of  any  more  snake-dancers 
or  jugglers  into  the  ship  on  Sunday. 

During  the  time  wTe  lay  here,  several  religious 
holidays  occurred.  The  festivities  and  ceremonies 
consequent  upon  them  enlivened  many  of  my  lonely 
hours  spent  under  the  awning  on  the  poop.  The 
sounds  of  the  musical  instruments  filled  my  ears, 
and  the  flash  of  tinsel,  the  waving  of  banners,  and 
the  swaying  of  the  multitudes,  filled  my  eyes. 

It  wras  at  the  close  of  these  holidays,  I  believe, 
that  they  cast  the  gods  of  the  occasion  into  the 
river.  All  the  river  above  us  was  filled  with  boats, 
loaded  with  gaudily  dressed  people.  The  shores 
were  thronged.  Gay  trappings  flaunted  in  the  sun. 
The  great  hosts  emitted  a  hoarse  roar,  continuous 
as  the  hum  from  a  hive  of  bees.      Above  this,   at 


VOYAGE  AROUND  THE  WORLD.         299 

!  intervals,  rang  the  musical  instruments.  Through 
the  clay  I  watched,  with  wonder  and  amazement, 
this  scene  of  oriental  magnificence  and  folly. 

My  last  visit  to  the  shore  was  made  three  or 
four  days  before  our  departure.  In  charge  of  Mr. 
Jackson,  I  went  to  the  Hospital  for  medical  ad- 
vice. I  was  able  to  walk  only  a  few  steps.  At 
the  landing  I  got  into  a  palanquin,  and  was  con- 
veyed to  my  place  of  destination.  There  they 
showed  me  into  a  room  on  the  ground  floor,  and 
told  me  to  sit  down  on  a  long  wooden  bench.  Mr. 
Jackson  then  went  in  pursuit  of  the  doctor.  I 
stretched  myself  at  full  length  upon  the  bench,  for 
the  jolting  of  the  palanquin  had  quite  exhausted 
me.  As  I  lay  I  looked  through  an  open  door  into 
a  large  garden.  Some  people  belonging  to  the  hos- 
pital were  there,  pitching  quoits.  They  were  much 
interested,  and  had  many  doubtful  points  to  discuss. 
Soon  the  doctor  came  and  prescribed  for  me,  and 
I  was  then  jolted  back  to  the  landing.  I  cannot 
say  much  in  praise  of  the  palanquin  as  a  mode  of 
conveyance. 

When  we  reached  the  ship  again  there  was  a 
stranger  in  the  cabin.  I  soon  learned  that  he  was 
a  Mr.  George  Christie,  a  Scotsman,  and  that  he 
would  take  passage  with  us  to  London.  He  had 
been  twelve  years  in  the  British  East  Indian  army. 
He  and  the  custom-house    officer    manifested   much 


300  REMINISCENCES    OF    A 

sympathy  for  me.     Indeed,  the  officer  had  all  along 
been  very  kind.     When  I  would  b.o  particularly  low  j 
he  would  say : 

"  I  see,  my  boy,  that  you  require  a  little  stim- 
ulant." 

Then  he  would  send  on  shore  for  a  bottle  of 
port  wine.  lie  prided  himself  on  knowing  how  to 
give  the  finest  tone  to  port.  He  prepared  it  with 
spices,  and  it  was  really  delicious.  We  shared  quite 
a  number  of  bottles,  and  I  found  that  it  did  brace 
me  up,  and  afford  me  a  temporary  vigor.  In  the 
end,  however,  I  should  probably  have  been  better 
off  without  it. 

After  Mr.  Christie  came  on  board  the  bottles 
were  sent  for  more  frequently.  He  loved  a  social 
glass  most  dearly — too  dearly,  we  learned  afterwards, 
for  his  own  good.  He  was  a  very  meritorious  soldier, 
but  his  unhappy  passion  for  strong  drink  had  been 
fatal  to  his  promotion,  and  he  left  off  as  he  began, 
a  private  in  Her  Majesty's  Lances.  Under  the  in- 
fluence of  the  genial  port  his  heart  opened  wide, 
and  he  told  many  fascinating  stories  of  battle,  and 
adventure,  in  that  rich  and  populous  land. 

At  length  the  end  came.  The  cargo  was  all  on 
board,  the  hatches  secured,  and  a  crew  shipped. 
The  anchors  were  hove  up  out  of  the  mud  of  the 
Hoogly,  and  we  began  our  descent. 

My  father  remained  in  the  city  to    conclude    his 


VOYAGE  AROUND  THE  WORLD.         301 

business,  as  it  would  be  easy  to  overtake  the  ship 
in  a  river  craft. 

All  was  confusion  on  board.  Mr.  Jackson,  our 
"  strictly  temperate  "  mate,  began  to  give  his  solemn 
declaration  the  lie.  He  was  soon  so  drunk  as  to  be 
unable  to  attend  to  his  duties.  My  brother,  the 
second  mate,  Avith  a  portion  of  the  crew,  were  en- 
gaged on  the  rigging.  Once  in  a  while  Mr.  Jack- 
son would  rush  out  from  his  state-room,  and  assume 
the  direction  of  affairs.  On  one  of  these  occasions 
he  found  the  men  setting  up  the  fore  topgallant 
backstays. 

"That  will  do,"  said  my  brother.  "Clap  on  a 
seizing,  and  shift  the    tackle." 

"  Hold  on,  hold  on  !  "  said  Mr.  Jackson.     "  You 

havn't  enough  on  it  by  a  foot,  Mr.  D .       Settle 

away  on  it,  lads,  settle  away." 

The  lads  did  settle  away,  but  the  obstinate  piece 
of  rigging  would  not  budge  another  inch.  Mr.  Jack- 
son called  them  a  set  of  slimsy  swabs,  and  ordered 
them  to  get  a  snatch-block,  and  lead  the  fall  to  the 
capstan. 

While  they  were  doing  this  he  sought  a  proper 
place  to  note  the  effect.  Finding  no  place  on  deck 
to  suit  him,  he  got  upon  the  house  and  stood  upon 
some  wood  that  lay  between  the  boats.  As  he 
threw  back  his  head  to  look  upwards  at  the  top- 
gallant mast,  he  fell  over  backwards  on  the    wood, 


302  REMINISCENCES    OF    A 

and  a  splinter,  which  chanced  to  be  pointing  up- 
wards, stuck  deeply  into  his  flesh.  He  wriggled 
himself  up,  and,  swearing  horribly,  retired  to  his 
state-room.  When  he  was  out  of  sight,  my  brother 
directed  the  men,  as  before,  to  clap  a  seizing  on 
the  lanyard,  and  shift  the  tackle. 

No  more  was  seen  of  the  mate  for  some  time. 
He  appeared  again,  however,  and  this  time  the  fore 
royal  stay  was  on  the  docket.  The  men  were  haul- 
ing it  taut  by  hand,  for  it  was  not  a  rope  of  any 
great   consequence. 

"  That  is  no  way  to  set  up  rigging,"  said  Mr. 
Jackson.     "Put  on  a  watch  tackle." 

A  wTatch  tackle  was  put  on. 

"  Now,  men,  away  with  it !      Pull,  men,  pull ! " 

The  spar  bent  forward.  The  topgallant  stay 
grew  slack. 

"  Will  not  that  do,  sir  ?"  asked  my  brother. 

"No,  no!"  replied  the. mate.  I  dislike  this  do- 
ing things  by  halves.  Away  with  it,  men — away 
with  it.     Have  you  no  strength  ?  " 

The  men  only  pretended  to  pull. 

"  Jump  out  there,  one  of  you,  with  a  slush 
bucket,  and  give  it  a  greasing." 

"That  has  been  done  already,  sir,"  said  my 
brother. 

"  Then  go  out,  one  of  you,  and  shake  it.  It  will 
render  better.     The  rest  of  you  take  the  fall  to  the 


VOYAGE  ABOUND  THE  WORLD.        303 

capstan.      It's  strange  that  all  of  you  can't  set   up 
that  stay." 

"It  will  part,"  said  my  brother. 

"  Let  it  part  then.  Heave  away,  men.  Walk 
around  with  the  bars.  Shake  it  up  there — shake  it 
up.  There,  now  it  comes  home  beautifully.  Al- 
ways do — " 

Sna}) !  went  the  slender  stay  just  above  the 
boom,  nearly  throwing  the  man  there  off  into  the 
water.  One  end  fell  with  a  splash  into  the  river, 
and  the  other  swung  inboard,  while  the  spar  jumped 
back,  straightening  the  topgallant  stay  out  again, 
and  making  it  quiver  like  a  taut  bowstring. 

Mr.  Jackson,  without  another  word,  turned  short 
on  his  heel  and  went  aft,  followed  by  the  jeers  of 
the  men.  In  the  evening  he  became  delirious,  and 
talked  of  jumping  overboard.  Two  or  three  times 
he  threw  his  leg  over  the  rail  with  that  intention 
(he  said),  but  was  seized  and  drawn  back  again  by 
my  brother  and  the  pilot.  My  father  reached  the 
ship  during  the  night.  What  passed  between  him 
and  Mr.  Jackson  I  do  not  know.  It  was  too  late 
then  to  make  another  change. 

The  next  day  the  confusion  that  had  previously 
reigned,  subsided,  and  the  system  and  regularity 
that  characterize  proceedings  on  ship  board  began 
to  appear. 

The  ship  proved  to  be  very   crank.      When   an 


304  REMINISCENCES    OF    A 

anchor  was  let  2:0  from  one  bow,  she  would  roll 
down  two  or  three  streaks  the  opposite  way.  The 
pilot  at  first  declared  he  should  protest  against  her 
going  to  sea  in  that  condition.  He  gave  up  the 
idea,   however. 

I  suspect  that  the  Hoogly  is  ascended  and  de- 
scended with  greater  rapidity  and  ease  now,  than 
then.  Occasionally  Ave  saw  a  ship  towed  up  or 
down  by  steam,  but  nearly  all  won  their  way  by 
wind  and  current.  It  was  very  laborious.  There 
was  but  little  rest  from  making  and  taking  in  sail ; 
from  heaving  up  anchors,  and  bracing  yards  about. 
One  by  one  the  remembered  objects  upon  the  river 
were  passed,  and  by-and-by  the  open  sea  lay  frefore 
us.  We  lay  at  anchor  off"  Sangor  Island,  New 
Year's  Dav,  1851.  It  was  a  calm  and  beautiful 
day.  The  crew  were  provided  with  means  to  "  splice 
the  main  brace  " — a  thing  that  they  did  heartily — 
and  in  the  cabin  the  bottle  went  round,  inspiring  a 
great  deal  of  good  fellowship.  Our  total  abstinence 
mate  took  his  glass. 

Did  he  or  the  captain  remember  a  conversation 
held  in  that  same  cabin  a  few  weeks  before,  on  the 
subject  of  temperate  mates?     I  did. 

The  next  day  the  pilot  was  discharged,  and  we 

went  to  sea. 

I  began  to  recruit  immediately.  When  ten  days 
out  I  was  able  to  do  light  work.     I  have  wondered 


VOYAGE  AROLND  THE  WOELD.         305. 

what  thus  lifted  me  from  helplessness,  and  the  point 
of  death  almost,  in  so  short  a  time,  to  comparative 
health.  Was  it  the  doctor's  pills,  or  the  port  wine, 
or  the  change  from  the  air  of  Calcutta  to  that  of 
the  wide   ocean? 

One  Kanaka,  young  John  Steward,  remained  on- 
board. Our  new  men  were  British  subjects,  mostly 
Scotch,  and  were  all  active,  able  seamen. 

We  had.  very  good  weather  through  the  months 
of  January  and  February.      The    crankness    of  the 
ship  interfered  very  much  with  her   progress.     She 
behaved  better  at  ser,  however,  than  in    the   river. 
This  was  owing  to  the  greater  buoyancy  possessed 
by  salt  wrater.     But  in  salt  water,  or  in    fresh,    she 
would  be  down  on    her   broadside    when    the    wind 
was  any  other  way  than  aft.     When    other   vessels 
would  be  carrying  topgallant  sails  on  the  wind,  we 
would  be  crawling  along  under  double    reefed    top- 
sails, almost  on  our  beam  ends,  and    sliding   to   lee- 
ward about  as  fast  as  we  moved  ahead.     This  crank- 
ness was,  in  great  measure,  owing  to  the  manner  in 
which  the.  cargo  was    stowed.      The    lighter    kinds* 
were  in  the  bottom  of  the  hold.     The  result  of  this 
stowage  was  foreseen,  but  it  could  not   be   helped. 
It  was  necessary  to  stow  the  cargo  as   it   wTas   de- 
livered, and,  unfortunately,  the    lighter   kinds    were 
delivered   first. 

February  17th  the  southern  end  of  Madagascar 

°0 

Vrirj-gp  Around  U*fi  WcrM,  "  J 


'  306  REMINISCENCES    OF    A 

bore  north,  distant  175  miles.  March  3d  we  en- 
countered a  violent  gale.  We  were  then  on  the 
bank  of  Lagullas,  which,  six  or  seven  hundred  feet 
under  the  sea,  is  the  first  step  of  a  gigantic  series, 
reaching  from  the  bottom  of  the  Southern  Ocean 
to  the  high  table  lands  of  Africa.  Cape  Lagullas, 
the  most  southerly  point  of  Africa,  bore  N.  N.  W., 
distant  120  miles.  Generally  we  call  passing  to  the 
southward  of  the  African  peninsula,  rounding  the 
Cape  of  Good  Hope.  And  in  the  minds  of  most 
people,  the  Cape  of  Good  Hope  is  the  most  south- 
erly point  of  Africa. 

How  much  this  is  an  error  may  be  seen  from 
the  following  statement  of  latitudes.  Cape  of  Good 
Hope,  south  latitude  34°  22'— Cape  Lagullas,  south 
latitude  34°  51'.  Cape  Lagullas  is  therefore  twenty- 
nine  miles  farther  to  the  south  than  the  Cape  of 
Good  Hope. 


VOYAGE  AROUND  THE  WORLD.         S07 


CHAPTER   XXVII. 


WE    PASS    THE    CAPE    OF    GOOD     DOPE. ST.    UELEXA.- 

A    SQUALL. MAKE    THE    EDDYSTONE    LIGHT. 


vsTIE  gale  of  the  third  of  March  was  purely 
^  a  tempest  of  wind.  The  sky  was  cloudless, 
and  the  sun  bright.  The  ship  was  hove  to  with 
her  head  to  the  westward.  There  was  a  fearful  sea 
— the  worst  we  encountered  during  the  whole  voyage. 

I  was  accustomed  to  take  meridian  observations 
of  the  sun  with  an  old  quadrant  that  I  had,  and 
afterwards  work  out  the  latitude.  When  we  brought 
up  our  instruments  that  day  to  take  meridian  ob- 
servations, it  was  amusing  to  see  what  positions  the 
observers  took  in  order  to  stand  still.  I  got  astride 
of  the  spanker  boom,  and  with  one  foot  on  the  top 
of  a  skylight  and  the  other  hugged  to  the  spar, 
watched  the  great  orb  across  the  meridian. 

Three  or  four  ships,  also  lying  to,  were  in  sight 
to  windward  of  us. 

The  next  day  the  gale  abated.  Meantime  we 
had  surged  in  considerably  towards  the  land.  We 
even  fancied  we  saw  the  loom  of  the  mountains.    I 


?OS  REMINISCENCES     OF    A 

assert  that  our  fancies  were  not  deceitful,  for,  if  that 
was  not  Africa,  I  never  saw  it,  and  that  I  ilo  not 
wish  to  confess. 

Cape  Horn  lies  in  south  latitude  55°  59'.  The 
Cape  of  Good  Hope,  as  I  stated  in  the  last  chap- 
ter, lies  far  up  on  a  comparatively  summer  region. 
Both  names  were  once  names  of  terror  to  the  mar- 
iner. The  Cabo  Tormtntoso  (Cape  of  Storms),  of 
Bartholeinew  Diaz,  was  not  immediately  forgotten 
under  the  more  inspiring  name  of  Cape  of  Good 
Hone,  though  until  the  new  era  in  navigation,  it 
seems  to  have  been  regarded  as  less  formidable  than 
Cape  Horn.  Twenty  years  ago  the  latter  mime  was 
suggestive  of  nothing  but  frowning  skies,  and  fierce 
wrestling  with  the  Storm  King.  At  present,  while 
.either  is  held  to  be  preferable  to  Cape  Cod,  in  win- 
ter, the  Cape  of  Good  Hope  is  considered  the  worse 
of  the  two.  The  sea  is  heavier.  Xot  a  few  ships 
have  gone  down  to  bilge  on  the  bank  of  Lagnllas. 

There  is  an  essential  difference  between  lying  to 
in  a  gale  off  the  Cape  of  Good  Hope,  and  what 
immediately  succeeds  to  it  in  a  ship  bound  to  the 
westward,  viz.,  "  rolling  down  to  St.  Helena." 

After  reaching  the  Atlantic,  we  struck  the  S.  E. 
trade  winds,  and  laid  our  course  for  the  Rockv  Isle. 
The  sea  was  regular  and  gentle,  the  wind  steady, 
and  the  air  exhilarating.  The  yards  were  laid  square. 
Studding  sails  were    set    alow    and    aloft,    on    both 


VOYAGE    AROUND    THE    WORLD.  309 

sides.  The  sea  and  the  sky  were  of  the  same 
glorious  blue. 

What  nights  for  "  yarning  and  calking."  What 
days  for  cleaning  ship  ! 

The  running  rigging  was  cast  off  from  the  pins 
and  stoppered.  Bulwarks  were  scrubbed  and  paint- 
ed. Astern  lines  were  trailing  for  dolphins  (Cory- 
phene).  The  "  watch  below  "  haunted  the  martin- 
gale with  the  harpoon  and  grains. 

Ah  !  there  was  poetry  and  pleasure,  and  a  de- 
licious dreaminess  in  those  days  !  No  path  in  life 
is  utterly  laborious  and  cheerless.  Mariners,  you 
see,  are  not  always  tempest-tossed.  They  have  their 
halcyon  days. 

Mr.  Christie,  after  so  long  a  time  spent  amid 
turbulent  and  exciting  scenes,  enjoyed  exceedingly 
the  incomparable  days  and  lovely  nights,  that  came 
and  went  like  pleasant  dreams.  Mr.  Jackson,  even, 
grew  grimly  genial,  and  related,  as  positive  facts, 
scores  of  impossible  and  outrageous  lies. 

March  18th  we  beheld,  far  ahead,  St.  Helena 
projecting  out  of  the  water  like  a  dark  cloud.  Ap- 
proaching nearer,  we  saw,  along  the  water  line,  the 
waves  driven  against  the  precipitous  shore,  and 
above,  high,  irregular  hills,  ravines,  and  elevated 
plateaus ;  and  wre  confessed  that  St.  Helena  was  not 


310  REMINISCENCES     OP    A 

indebted  to  association  alone,  for  power  to  interest 
and  impress  a  beholder.  I  did  not  think  then,  that 
this  had  been  the  prison  of  Napoleon,  but  the  spec- 
tacle— the  sublime  spectacle — of  that  narrow,  but 
lofty  isle,  rearing  itself  out  of  the  blue,  fathomless 
sea,  so  firm,  so  unshaken,  putting  aside  the  mightiest 
and  angriest  billows,  moved  me,  young  and  untaught 
as  I  was.  All  feel  this  subduing  power.  The  trav- 
eller bares  his  head  in  the  presence  of  Niagara — 
phrases  of  admiration  are  not  spoken  at  the  feet  of 
the  Alps. 

Before  sunset  we  had  rounded  the  northern  end 
of  the  island,  and  anchored  off  Jamestown,  on  the 
north-west,  or  leeward  side.  Many  vessels  were 
lying  at  anchor.  We  came  to,  near  an  American 
whale  ship,  the   Corinthian. 

A  black  clipper  brig,  with  only  the  bare  lower 
masts  standing,  and  so  light  as  to  preclude  the  idea 
of  ballast,  lay  close  in  to  the  shore,  just  to  the  right 
hand  of  the  shipping.  On  the  shore  near  her  were 
two  hulks,  one  of  which  was  partly  cut  to  pieces. 
These  three  had  been  slavers.  They  had  been  cap- 
tured on  the  African  coast,  and  taken  to  St.  Helena, 
and  condemned.  They  were  now  meeting  an  unus- 
ual fate.  Most  ships,  at  their  final  dissolution,  are 
submerged  in  the  sea.  These,  on  the  contrary,  were 
broken  up  and  used  for  fuel. 

Jamestown  is  situated  in  a  ravine.     Ladder  Hill 


VOYAGE    AROUND    THE    WORLD.  311 

and  High  Knoll  lie  on  the  right,  and  form  a  two 
story  mountain.  Ladder  Hill  is  the  first  story — 
High  Knoll  the  second.  To  the  top  of  High  Knoll 
the  distance  is  about  2,000  feet. 

Jamestown  consists  of  one  principal  street,  about 
a  mile  in  length.  A  mountain  stream  flows  through 
the  place,  supplying  the  inhabitants  and  shipping 
with  pure  and  excellent  water. 

Fortifications  abounded.  They  were  the  first 
works  of'  art  that  met  my  eyes  in  approaching  the 
place — upon  them  my  glances  rested  oftenest  while 
there,  and  they  were  the  last  to  grow  indistinct  in 
the  gloom  when  we  sailed  away. 

To  the  left  of  the  town,  looking  from  the  ship- 
ping, the  military  men  had  effected  lodgements  mid- 
way in  the  high  cliffs,  and  established  batteries 
there.  Ladder  Hill,  up  which  there  is  a  ladder, 
composed  of  675  steps,  is  crowned  by  a  fortress ; 
and  High  Knoll,  the  second  story,  bears  aloft  still 
another. 

A  kind  of  small  mackerel  were  very  plentiful 
here.  Canoes  were  all  about  among  the  shipping, 
whose  owners  caught  and  sold  these  fish.  Their 
manner  of  taking  them  was  new  to  us.  They  used, 
instead  of  one  hook,  a  bundle.  They  were  tied  firm- 
ly together,  with  the  points  all  outward.  Just  above 
the  shanks  of  the  hook  was  attached  a  showy  bait  to 
attract   the   mackerel.      When   this  aggregate  hook 


312  REMINISCENCES     OF     A 

was  lowered  into  the  water,  the  fish  would  gather 
th.ckly  about  the  bait,  'ihcn  the  fisherman  would 
suddenly  jerk  up  on  his  line,  and  impale  a  number 
upon  the  projecting  points. 

A  man  came  alongside  our  ship  in  his  canoe,  and 
wished  to  sell  some  tish.  With  his  permission,  I 
fished  a  little  with  his  manifold  jig.  I  had  quite 
good  success,  fur  great  skill  was  not  required  to 
handle  it  properly.  These  mackerel,  when  cooked, 
seemed  delicious  to  our  salt  beef  tempered  palates. 

Our  water  was  filled  from  a  water  boat.  It  was 
of  an  excellent  quality.  Wood  is  a  very  scarce 
article  at  St.  Helena.  All  we  could  purchase  for 
fuel  had  once  sailed  the  sea  as  plank  and  tim- 
ber of  a  slaver.  It  was  easy,  however,  to  pro- 
cure supplies  of  fresh  meat  and  vegetables. 

On  board  of  our  neighbor,  the  Corinthian,  were 
two  ladies — one  the  captain's  wile.  Their  hats  and 
shawls  were  observed  by  me  with  great  delight, 
when  they  appeared  upon  the  quarter  deck  of  the 
whaler.  They  gave  the  old  blubber-hunter  a  Chris- 
tian and  home-like  look. 

I  did  not  go  on  shore,  and  therefore,  have  noth- 
ing to  relate,  either  concerning  Longwood,  the  res- 
idence  of  Xapoleon,  or  of  his  Tomb.  I  feel  that  it 
was  a  misfortune  to  me,  and  I  lament  it — but  let 
no  one  else  lament  it. 


VOYAGE   AROUND    THE    WORLD.  313 

Descriptions  of  these  localities  abound — minute 
ones,  for  those  who  love  particulars — precise  ones, 
for  those  who  love  exactness — and  amusing  ones 
for  those  who  desire  a  little  humor  to  season  dry- 
details. 

The  Island  of  St.  Helena  was  discovered  on  St. 
Helena's  Day,  May  21,  1501,  by  Juan  de  Nova  Cas- 
tella,  a  navigator  in  the  service  of  Portugal.  Con- 
sequently, the  Portugese  first  possessed  it.  Then 
the  Dutch  got  possession  of  it — then  the  English — 
then  the  Dutch  again — and  so  it  went,  like  a  shuttle- 
cock, back  and  forth,  for  some  time,  between  the 
Dutch  and  English,  until  it  finally  settled  (as  many 
other  places  have),  into  the  hands  of  the    English. 

There  are  found  upon  it  pretty  conclusive  evi- 
dences of  its  volcanic  origin.  Diana's  Peak,  the 
highest  part,  is  2,700  feet  above  the  level  of  the 
sea.  The  shape  of  the  Island  is  a  compromise  be- 
tween round  and  square.  The  greatest  distance 
across  it  is  ten  miles  ami  a  half.  Its  area  is  forty- 
seven  square  miles.  It  lies  in  south  latitude  15°  57'. 
The  distance  to  the  nearest  point  of  Africa  is 
1,400  miles — to  the  nearest  point  of  South  America 
2,000  miles. 

We  were  at  St.  Helena  but  two  days.  We 
sailed  just  as  the  sun  was  setting,  and  the  Corinth- 
ian   sailed   in    company.     We  packed  on  everything, 


314  REMINISCENCES    OF    A 

alow  and  aloft,  and  the  island  soon  disappeared  in 
the  gloom.  Next  morning  the  Corinthian  was  two 
or  three  miles  ahead.  She  was  a  very  fast  sailer. 
At  ten  o'clock  she  lay  by  for  ns  to  come  up.  We 
passed  close  by  her  stern.  My  father  lifted  his  hat 
to  the  ladies,  to  whom  he  had  been  introduced,  ex- 
changed a  few  words  with  the  captain,  and  then 
we  were  out  of  hearing.  Having  thus  said  good- 
bye, the  whaleman  filled  away  again.  He  steered 
more  to  the  westward  than  we  did,  and  at  night 
was  hull  down.  We  pursued  our  solitary  way. 
Ascension  was  visible  when  we  passed  its  latitude, 
but  it  was  very  dim  and  distant. 

When  we  drew  near  the  Equator  the  trade 
wind  began  to  fail  us.  A  short  calm  succeeded, 
then  a  succession  of  light  winds  from  all  points  of 
the  compass.  All  of  one  afternoon  the  wind  held 
from  the  south.  The  studding  sails  were  run  up  on 
both  sides  in  order  to  get  as  much  distance  as  we 
could  out  of  it.  Before  night,  however,  it  began 
to  change.  First  it  was  south-east,  then  east,  then 
north-east.  The  studding  sails  were  hauled  down, 
and  the  yards  gradually  braced  forward.  At  length 
the  wind  came  from  north.  Still  we  did  not  rig  in 
the  studding-sail  boom,  or  unreeve  the  studding-sail 
gear,  because  it  was  possible  the  wind  might  con- 
tinue to  chansre,  and  give  us  a  chance  to  set  the 
sails  again.      But   by    four   o'clock   the   succeeding 


VOYAGE     ABOUND     THE    WOULD.  315 

morning  there  was  no  further  change,  save  that  the 
sky  grew  darker  at  the  north.  At  that  hour  the 
starboard  watch  went  below,  and  the  larboard  came 
on  deck.  My  father,  who  had  been  up  most  cf  the 
night,  directed  Mr.  Jackson,  if  the  wind  did  not 
change  within  an  hour,  to  unreeve  the  studding-sail 
gear,  rig  in  the  booms,  and  furl  the  light  sails.  He 
then  went  below  and  lay  down  in  his  cot. 

I  awoke  in  the  morning  just  as  the  grey  dawn 
was  stealing  into  the  cabin  windows.  Not  a  sound 
could  be  heard,  or  a  motion  felt.  I  lay  still  awhile. 
A  bed  feels  good  in  the  morning,  on  board  a  ship, 
as  well  as  on  shore. 

By-and-by  I  heard  my  father  jump  out  of  his 
cot,  and  I  knew  by  his  movements  that  he  was  con- 
sulting the  barometer,  which  hung  in  the  skylight. 
After  a  smothered  exclamation  or  two,  he  seemed 
to  be  hastily  putting  on  his  pants.  I  sprang  out, 
and  pulled  on  mine.  Then  he  hurried  to  the  deck, 
and  I  followed  close  behind.  As  I  passed  the  bar- 
ometer, I  gave  it  a  flying  look,  and  saw,  as  I  had 
suspected,  that  it  had  fallen  alarmingly.  When  we 
reached  the  deck,  which  wras  pretty  quickly,  Mr. 
Jackson  was  moving  from  aft,  rubbing  his  eyes,  and 
not  yet  half  awake.  A  glance  aloft  showed  that  he 
had  neglected  his  orders.  The  studding-sail  booms 
were  out,  the  gear  all  rove,  and  all  sail  set,  from 
the  flying  jib  to   the    spanker — from    the   royals   to 


316  BEMESISCENCES    OF    A 

the  deck.  And  just  to  windward,  close  aboard,  was 
a  furious  squali  bearing  down  upon  us.  Before  it, 
on  the  water,  went  a  line  of  white  foam.  Above 
this  was  a  black,  perpendicular,  impenetrable  wall, 
reaching  to  the  frantically  Hying  clouds. 

"  Go  below,  sir  !  "  said  my  father  to  Mr.  Jack- 
son. *'  Go  directly  below,  sir.  Hard  up  your  wheel 
— work  sharp  !  Call  all  hands.  Clew  up  royals  and 
topgallant  sails,  fore  and  aft.  Down  flying  jib  and 
staysails.     Brail  up  the  spanker " 

I  heard  no  more,  for  I  had  clewed  up  the  miz- 
zen  royal,  and  was  on  my  way  up  to  furl  it. 

The  ship  was  falling  off  rapidly,  and  I  felt  cer- 
tain she  would  have  her  stern  presented  to  the 
squall  when  it  struck.  As  I  gained  the  topmast 
crosstrees,  the  topgallant  yard  settled  away.  With 
all  the  activity  I  was  matter  of  I  clambered  along. 
I  had  just  got  the  little  pocket  handkerchief  thing 
gathered  up,  when  the  squall  struck.  The  topgallaut 
sail  swelled  out  and  threshed.  At  every  flop  the 
mast  jumped  back  and  forth  in  a  way  that  made  it 
difficult  for  me  to  hold  on.  I  twisted  one  leg  about 
the  backstay,  and  then,  feeling  secure,  went  to 
work.  Both  arms  were  employed  in  keeping  the 
sail  in  the  furl,  and  the  great  difficulty  was  to  get 
hold  of  the  bunt  gasket.  This  I  did  after  a  while, 
and  then  the  rest  of  the  furling   was    easily  accorn. 


VOYAGE    AIIOUXD    THE    WORLD.  317 

plished.  '  In  my  descent  I  aided  in  furling  the  top- 
gallant Bail. 

When  I  had  reached  the  deck,  the  ship  was  begin- 
ning to  come  to  the  wind  again,  and  I  heard  the 
order  given  to  settle  away  the  fore  and  mizzen  top- 
sails for  reefing.  It  was  at  a  great  expense  of 
labor,  and  not  until  after  some  time  had  elapsed, 
that  all  things  were  put  to  rights.  Then  the  old 
ship,  with  her  head  about  W.  N.  W.,  and  away 
down  on  her  broadside,  clawed  to  windward  what 
she  could. 

Mr.  Jackson  was  oft1  on  duty.  With  his  accus- 
tomed disregard,  for  truth,  he  denied  that  he  had 
slept  upon  his  watch.  And  as  to  the  studding-sail 
booms  and  gear,  he  said  he  was  about  to  see  to  it 
all.  He  had  not  deemed  the  squall,  which  he  had 
been  watching  all  the  time,  was  so  near. 

The  man  at  the  wheel,  however,  declared  that 
Mr.  Jackson  had  been  sleeping,  and  moreover,  (this 
he  added  privately  to  me,)  he  might  have  slept 
until  the  ship  herself  fell  overboard,  before  he  would 
have  roused  him.  Evidently  this  man  did  Eot  ad- 
mire  the  worth  v  Mr.  J. 

April  1st  we  crossed  the  equinoctial  line  for  the 
sixth  and  last  time.  Shortly  after,  we  crossed  our 
old  track  from  Bath  to  San  Francisco.  This  was 
indubitable  proof  that  the  earth  is  round. 

Again  we  saw  the  Sargasso  Sea,  and  its  floating 


318  KEMINISCENCES     OF    A 

islands  of  matted  weeds.      This  was    an  indication 
that  we  were  approaching  our  native  land  again. 

Mr.  Jackson,  having  promised  better  fashions, 
was  reinstated  in  his  office.  We  passed  in  sight  of 
the  Azores,  and  while  they  were  yet  in  view,  the 
wind  died  away.  An  English  brig,  bound  to  the 
south,  was  also  becalmed  within  a  mile  of  us.  Sup- 
posing that  she  was  not  long  out,  our  boat  was 
lowered,  and  Mr.  Jackson  boarded  her  to  learn  the 
news.  He  returned  with  a  bushel  of  potatoes,  and 
a  bundle  of  newspapers.  From  these  papers  we 
learned  of  the  Crystal  Palace  at  London,  and  how 
high  expectation  was  in  regard  to  it. 

"  Good  !  "  we  exclaimed  to  each  other.  "  We 
shall  be  there  (at  London)  at  just  the  right 
time." 

After  a  few  more  days  we  reached  the  Channel, 
and  closed  in  with  the  land.  The  sun  went  down, 
but  no  England  was  visible,  much  to  our  disappoint- 
ment. In  the  evening,  however,  some  one,  having 
mounted  the  rigging,  discovered  a  light.  We  con- 
jectured from  its  bearing  that  it  was  the  Eddystone 
Light.  In  an  hour  it  was  plainly  to  be  seen  from 
deck.  About  midnight  an  English  brig,  bound  out, 
shoved  along  by  our  quarter. 

After  the  usual  hailing,  my  father  made  some 
special  inquiries. 


VOYAGE  AROUND  THE  WORLD.         319 

"What  Light  is  this  in  sight?" 
"  The  JTeddystone." 

"So  I  supposed.     What  time  of  tide  is  it?" 

a'igh  water." 

"Thank  }oa." 

And  the  cockney  craft  slowly  disappeared. 


320  REMINISCENCES    OF    A 


CHAPTER    XXVIII, 


ARRIVE    AT    LONDON. SAIL     FOR     HOME. GEAVESEXD, 

— ARRIYE    AT    BOSTON. CONCLUSION. 


feHE  wind  blew  clown  channel,  and  our  pro- 
&^%&  gt'ess  was  very  siowr.  Back  and  forth,  back 
and  forth,  we  went,  between  the  Bill  of  Portland 
and  Cape  La  Hague.  At  this  time  Mr.  Jackson 
was  guilty  of  another  breach  of  duty,  and  was 
again  sent  below.  We  were  entirely  out  of  fuel, 
and  nearly  out  of  provisions ;  and  when  a  Ports- 
mouth pilot  hailed  us,  off  the  Isle  of  Wight,  lie  was 
engaged  to  take  the  ship  into  Portsmouth,  and  soon 
thereafter  we  were  lying  at  anchor  off  Ryde. 

Having  refitted,  we  again  put  out,  and  now  found 
the  wind  more  favorable.  Beachy  Head,  Dungeness, 
and  the  Cliffs  of  Dover  were  passed,  and  at  night 
we  anchored  in  Margate  Roads.  The  next  morning 
a  steamer  took  us  in  tow,  and  we  got  on  at  a  more 
satisfactory   rate. 

At  Gravesend  wre  anchored  to  receive  a  visit 
from  the  custom-house  officials.  My  father  took  pas- 
sage on  a  river  steamer,  and  proceeded  forthwith 
to  London. 


VOYAGE    AROUND    THE    WORLD.  321 

In  the  afternoon,  an  officer,  with  a  gang  of  men 
and  the  necessary  instruments,  came  off  to  see  that 
the  revenue  of  Great  Britain  received  no  detriment 
from  us.  They  pried  into  everything,  and  probed 
and  sounded,  as  if  they  were  medical  men  called  to 
examine  the  old  ship's  lungs.  In  searching  my  chest 
for  contraband  articles,  they  discovered  my  won- 
derful silk  handkerchief  bargain.  This  silk,  by  the 
way,  was  not  silk,  but  the  fibre  of  bamboo.  During 
the  passage  I  had  cut,  the  patterns  apart,  and  hem- 
med them  all.  This,  I  had  been  told  by  the  sailors, 
would  save  them  from  being  sealed  up  by  the  cus- 
tom house  men  on  our  arrival.  Now  this  revenue 
man  who  had  boarded  us  took  a  different  view  of 
the  matter.  lie  told  me  to  select  as  many  as  I 
wished  to  use  in  port,  and  the  remainder  he  would 
seal  up.     I  laid  my  hand  upon  the  whole. 

"  Impossible,"  said  he.  "  Four  are  as  many  as 
you  need." 

A  spirit  of  contradiction  entered  into  me. 

"  Sir,"  I  said.  "  the  whole  eight  pieces  are  not 
four  handkerchiefs.  See,"  and  I  placed  two  of  the 
flimsy  things  together — ci  you  wouldn't  dare  to  blow 
your  nose  hard  on  these  two   together." 

"  Select  four,"  he  said,  in  a  very  cross  tone ; 
we  have  no  time  to  talk." 

I  became  angry  and  saucy.  "Do  you  fear  I'll 
sell  them  ?  Do  you  think  your  countrymen  fools 
enough  to  buy  such  stuff?     Green  as  I  am,  I — " 

2  1 

Voyage  Around  the  World.  -  * 


322  REMINISCENCES    OP    A 

He  did  not  wait  to  hear  any  more  of  my  har- 
angue, but  taking  up  four  of  the  disputed  rags, 
carried  them  off  out  of  the  state  room.  I  went  on 
deck  in  a  rage,  where  I  tramped  about  grandly  on 
the  high-heeled  boots  of  my  passion.  Pretty  soon 
one  of  the  revenue  men  called  me  below.  The 
officer  himself  was  standing  in  the  forward  cabin 
with  a  bundle  by  him  which  had  been  opened.  He 
called  my  attention  to  it.  I  saw  a  small  silk  shawl, 
several  silk  handkerchiefs,  and  a  few  other  things 
which  I  am  now  unable  to  mention.  The  whole 
had  been  wrapped  up  in  a  piece  of  old  canvass. 

"Are  these  things  yours?"  asked  the  officer. 

"  No,"  I  answered,  very  shortly  and  sharply. 

He  looked  hard  at  me. 

"  Do  you  know  to  whom  they  do  belong  ?" 

"  m.n 

"You  act  curiously,"  he  said,  looking  straight 
at  me. 

Just  then  my  brother  came  in.  He  addressed 
the  officer: 

"  I  can't  imagine  to  whom  they  belong ;  no  one 
will  own  them." 

"  I  think  they  belong  to  him,"  said  the  officer, 
indicating  me. 

"  You  are  mistaken,  sir,"  answered  my  brother. 
"I  don't  think  he  ever  saw  them  before,  anymore 
than  you  or  I.     I  will  answer  for  him." 


VOYAGE    AROUND    THE    WORLD.  323 

Upon  that  I  sought  the  deck  again.  Shortly 
after,  the  officer  with  his  men  came  out.  He  car- 
ried the  mysterious  bundle  with  him.  When  he 
passed  me,  he  said  in  a  low  tone  to  my  brother, 
indicating  me  with  his  eye — 

"Who  is  that?" 

"My  brother." 

"Why  is  he  so  insolent?" 

"  He  thinks  you  have  imposed  upon  him  by 
taking  his  handkerchiefs.  He  has  been  hemminsc 
on  the  precious  tilings  all  the  passage." 

"Oh,  ho!"  said  the  officer,  "that's  it,  is  it?" 

At  the  gangway  he  raised  the  bundle  in  his  hand. 

"Now  then,  one  and  all,  who  owns  this?" 

No  answer. 

"It's  mine,  then.     I  wish  you  a  good  day,  sir." 

The  latter  sentence  was  uttered  to  my  brother; 
and  having  uttered  it,  the  officer  descended  to  his 
boat,  and  the  bundle  went  with  him. 

As  the  boat  moved  away,  I  *looked  after  him 
with  a  bitter  expression,  and  very  uncharitable  feel- 
ings. A  deep  sigh  caused  me  to  turn  my  head. 
The  Doctor  had  uttered  it.  He,  too,  was  looking 
hard  at  the  revenue  boat.     I  suspected  the  truth. 

"Those  things  were  yours,  Doctor?"  I  said. 

"  Dey  was."     Another  sigh. 

"  You  bought  them  for  Mrs.  Brown,  didn't 
you?"  I  asked,  leaning  towards  him,  and  speaking 


324  REMINISCENCES    OF     A 

in  a  tone  which  said,  or  was  intended  to  say,  "  Be 
confidential  with  me  now."  But  I  have  already 
said  that  the  Doctor,  when  sober,  was  an  extraor- 
dinarily discreet  man.  He  answered  me  with  a 
a  melancholy  smile — 

"  I'm  Unking  it  don't  make  any  difference  who 
I  bought  dem  for.     Dey's  gone   now." 

So  saying,  he  sought  his  sanctum,  the  galley. 

"But,  Doctor,"  I  hallooed  after  him,  "what  in 
thunder  did  you  try  to  hide  them  for?" 

"  Cause  1'se  a  fool ! " 

And  he  entered  the  galley.     Poor  Doctor ! 

On  entering  the  cabin,  I  saw  on  the  transom,  a 
large  tea  chest,  the  lid  of  which  was  crossed  by 
red  tape,  and  bore  upon  it  an  official  seal.  There, 
among  sundry  other  articles,  were  four  of  my  no- 
torious handkerchiefs.  That  trade  had  been  a  stand- 
ing joke  all  the  passage,  and  I  had  become  so  sen- 
sitive on  the  subject  as  to  be  ready  to  fight  when- 
ever it  was  mentioned. 

At  ten  in  the  evening  we  were  under  way  again, 
and  darting  up  river  in  tow  of  the  steamer.  The 
pilot  walked  the  deck  all  night.  My  brother  kept 
him  company.  I  made  up  a  fire  in  the  galley,  and 
kept  the  coffee  pot  ^teaming. 

Mr.  Jackson,  now7  off  duty,  slept  at  his  will.  The 
Doctor  was  in  his  berth.  The  watch  below  snored 
under  their  blankets,  and  the  watch   on    deck  upon 


VOYAGE  AROLND  THE  WORLD.         325 

their  chests.  The  chests  were  below,  of  course,  and 
you  will  call  the  above  statement,  that  the  watch 
on  deck  were  below,  paradoxical.  Sailors  under- 
stand it. 

Save  the  pilot,  my  brother,  the  helmsman,  and 
myself,  all  on  board  were  soon  in  a  state  of  un- 
consciousness. It  was  willingly  permitted,  because 
but  little  rest  had  been  enjoyed  by  any  one  for  two 
or  three  days. 

The  pilot  loved  a  cup  of  coffee  at  airy'  time. 
The  niirht  air,  on  this  occasion,  was  chilly-,  and  he 
had  a  double  relish  for  it.  I  placed  the  sugar  on 
a  skylight,  and  a  tray  of  bread  beside  it,  and  oftener 
than  hourly,  brought  on  the  strong  coffee,  piping 
hot.  In  the  true  spirit  of  companionship,  my  brother 
emptied  his  enpfull  when  the  pilot  emptied  his.  I 
was  not  behindhand,  and,  when  neither  the  coffee 
pot  nor  the  fire  required  my  services,  joined  in  the 
measured  tramp  upon  the  deck.  The  pilot's  heart 
expanded  under  the  influence,  of  coffee  and  cigars. 
He  pointed  out  localities,  and  described  them — for 
we  could  not  see  them  in  the  darkness ;  related 
anecdotes,  and  questioned  us    concerning    our    own 

country. 

We  were  happy  because  a  long  voyage  was  be- 
hind us,  a  great  city  just  before  us,  and  home  one 
step  nearer.  So  the  hours  of  the  night  passed  on. 
The  fire  did  not  go  out,  nor  the  coffee  cool.      The 


326  REMINISCENCES    OF    A 

steamer  groaned  and  smote  the  water  in  front; 
lights  twinkled  on  either  hand ;  the  wind  bore  off 
the  fresh  smell  of  the  land.  Now  and  then  a  ship 
rushed  past  us  on  the  opposite  course,  in  leading 
strings  to  a  strong  monster  of  a  tug,  blowing  out 
her  breath  of  bl^e  flame.  The  ports  of  the  old 
Dreadnought  were  all  lighted  up — not  with  battle 
lanterns,  but  mild  lamps,  gleaming  on  the  cots  of 
sick  men. 

Ah,  happy  time !  It  is  good  to  ascend  the 
Thames,  even  by  starlight.  Who  says  the  Tiber! 
the  Tiber  ?  I  say  the  Thames  !  the  Xhames  !  Its 
banks  are  the  seat  of  a  nobler  civilization,  and  a 
wider  empire  than  Rome  ever  dreamed  of! 

With  the  first  gleams  of  day  we  made  fast  to 
the  gates  of  St.  Catharine's  Docks.  An  hour  sufficed 
to  make  it  high  water,  and  at  the  expiration  of  that 
time  we  hauled  in. 

The  temptation  is  strong  upon  me  to  tell  where 
I  went,  and  what  I  saw  in  this  great  city  of  Lon- 
don. Here  the  ship  did  not  lie,  as  in  the  other 
ports,  off  the  city,  but  in  it,  and  one  stride  carried 
one  from  the  gangway  to  the  floor  of  the  warehouses. 
Consequently,  I  saw  much  of  the  city.  To  see  it 
was  all  I  had  to  do.  I  ascended  the  spire  of  St. 
Paul's  Church,  and  descended  into  the  tunnel  be- 
neath the  Thames.     Regent's  Park But  I   set 

out  in  this  paragraph  to  make  an  explanation. 


VOYAGE  ABOUND  THE  WORLD.        827 

These  Reminiscences  have  already  exceeded  all 
reasonable  limits.  To  continue  them  would  be  an 
imposition  upon  those  readers  who,  from  principle, 
read  all  books  through,  and  a  piece  of  unpardonable 
stupidity  in  me.  I  shall  therefore  resolutely  turn 
my  back  upon  the  temptation  of  which  I  have  spo- 
ken, and  make  the  best  speed  I  can  across  the 
Atlantic. 

July  1st  the  ship,  now  loaded  with  iron  and 
chalk,  was  again  ready  for  sea.  When  the  tide 
served,  we  passed  out  of  the  dock  gates.  Long 
before  night  we  anchored  off  Grave  send  to  receive 
a  second  visit  from  the  officers  of  the  custom-house 
— this  time  to  unseal. 

Just  before  sunset  my  brother,  the  carpenter, 
and  myself,  landed  for  a  walk.  Outside  of  the  town 
the  green  hedges  and  trim,  beautiful  landscape  filled 
us  with  admiration.  This  was  Old  England — ours 
was  New  England.  The  whole  town  seemed  taking 
a  holiday.  No  end  of  children  were  parading  about 
on  donkeys. 

What  I  saw  that  evening  has  enabled  me  to 
appreciate,  far  better  than  I  could  otherwise  have 
done,  the  surroundings  of  Aunt  Betsy  Trotwood's 
house  at  Dover,  and  the  significance  of  her  war-cry, 
"  Janet,  donkeys  !  " 

The  next  morning  we  left  Gravesend,  and  were 
soon  out  of  the  river. 


328  REMINISCENCES    OP    A 

My  brother  was  now  mate,  and  a  Scotsman,  who 
had  come  from  Calcutta  as  hand,  was  second  mate. 
This  time  we  found  the  ship  in  good  trim.  She 
was  stiff,  and  stood  up  to  the  wind  as  obstinately 
as  we  could  desire.  With  a  line  breeze  we  ran 
down  the  Straits  of  Dover.  The  coast  along  the 
counties  of  Kent  and  Sussex  was  on  our  right  hand, 
and  we  were  afforded  a  fine  view  of  the  "  white 
cliffs  of  Albion."  A  railroad  ran  along  the  shore, 
and  the  soft,  chalky  cliffs  were  tunneled  through  in 
many  places.      We  could  see  the  locomotives   with 

* 

their  trains,  entering    these    tunnels,'  and    emerging 
from  them  again. 

Ii  was  well  for  us,  we  soon  learned,  that  the 
ship  was  stiff  and  stood  up  to  the  wind,  for  we  had 
it  nearly  all  the  time  directly  ahead.  At  length, 
after  many  days  of  tiresome  beating,  we  beheld,  and 
recognized  the  distinguishing  features  of  the  Gulf 
Stream,  that  river  in  the  ocean,  concerning  which  I 
had  a  chapter  long  ago.  A  strong  north-east  wind 
shoved  us  well  into  it,  and  then  died  away.  The 
north-east  wind  had  been  against  the  set  of  the 
current,  and,  of  course,  got  up  a  horrible,  short, 
tumbling  sea.  When  the  wind  died  away,  and  there 
was  nothing  to  steady  the  ship,  she  rolled  and  pitch- 
ed in  a  way  that  was  really  wonderful.  We  did  not, 
however,  part  a  rope  yarn,  but  a  ship  in  sight  of  us 
pitched  her  fore  and  mizzen  topgallant  masts  out. 


VOYAGE    AROUND    THE    WORLD.  329 

August  21st  our  reckoning  showed  us  to  be  well 
in  with  the  land.  When  night  came  it  was  fright- 
fully dark,  and  there  were  indications  of  a  violent 
tempest.  The  topsails  were  close  reefed,  and  under 
this  short  sail  alone  we  headed  in  towards  the  land. 
The  expected  wind  did  not  come,  but  there  was 
lightning,  and  rain  in    excess. 

This  was  when  that  terrible  tornado  passed 
through  Medford,  Waltkam,  and  West  Cambridge, 
and  caused  such  destruction. 

In  the  morning;  an  old  Dutch  sailor  was  found 
in  an  empty  barrel  under  the  topgallant  forecastle. 
When  asked  what  he  had  crawled  into  that  for, 
he  said — 

"De  Blixen!  Mein  Gott,  I  dinks  de  end  of 
de  world  pe  come  !  " 

This  turbulent  night  was  succeeded  by  a  lovely 
day.  When  the  sun  rose,  land  was  visible  along 
the  horizon  to  the  west-north-west.  All  sail  was 
made.  The  light  air  from  the  north  freshened,  and 
we  drew  rapidly  in  with  the  land,  running  free,  and 
were  not  long  in  bringing  Cape  Ann  abreast. 

By  the  way,  we  were  bound  to  Boston,  which  I 
should  have  stated  sooner.  There  are  some  who  are 
said  to  believe  it  is  the  only  seaport  and  city  in  the 
United  States,  or,  indeed,  in  America.  If  any  think  I 
believe  so,  because  I  did  not  sooner  mention  our  port  of 
destination,  let  them  be  undeceived — I  do  not  think  so. 


330  REMINISCENCES    OF    A 

Somewhere,  the  pilot  came  on  board — I  do  not 
remember  where.  But  I  do  remember  how  bright 
everything  looked  that  day — objects  that  have  since 
looked  rough  and  forbidding.  But  if  I  endeavored 
to  say  to  any  one,  How  bright  the  water  is,  and 
how  it  sparkles !  or,  Isn't  that  splendid  in  there 
about  Nahant ! — if  I  undertook  to  make  any  such 
expressions,  I  say,  something  hard  rose  in  my  throat, 
and  I  could  not  articulate. 

At  dark  the  ship  was  fast  to  Battery  Wharf, 
and  the  sails  furled.  The  next  morning  the  exodus 
began. 

I  shook  hands,  long  and  hard,  with  the  Doctor, 
and  wished  him  a  happy  meeting  with  Mrs.  Brown. 
Then  the  carpenter  came  out  of  the  cabin  with  his 
wallet  in  one  hand,  and  a  great  wad  of  bank  bills 
in  the  other ;  and  as  soon  as  he  got  these  into  their 
proper  relative  positions,  and  the  whole  into  his 
pocket,  he  extended  his  honest  right  hand.  I  wrung 
it,  and  as  I  did  so,  I  wished  him  (he  blushing  like 
a  schoolgirl  the  while,)  a  speedy  and  happy  union 
with  Mary,  a  passenger  upon  whom  he  had  been 
sweet.  Then  Joe  Bacon,  wTith  hair  curled,  and  smell- 
ing no  longer  of  the  tar  bucket,  but  of  the  barber's 
shop,  approached.  We  had  quarrelled  on  the  fore- 
topsail  yard  the  evening  before,  and  each  had  prom- 
ised the  other,  when  firm  footing  was  reached,  such 
a  thrashing  as  he  never  got  before.      But    all   this 


VOYAGE    AROUND    THE    WORLD.  331 

was  forgotten  now,  and  our  parting  bordered  slightly 
on  the  touching.  Lastly,  young  John  Steward,  our 
beau  Kanaka,  curled  and  perfumed  like  his  white 
shipmate,  and  wearing  Congress  boots  on  his  feet, 
and  gloves  on  his  hands,  and  smiles  on  his  dusky 
face,  came  briskly  up  to  say  good-bye. 

John  was  returned  to  his  native  Woahoo  again, 
according  to  contract;  but  I  can  never  believe  he 
took  kinclly  to  old  Arcadian  habits  again.  There 
might  have  been  a  time  when  John  could  expend 
all  his  taste  on  the  arrangement  of  his  breech-clout, 
and  took  pride  in  wearing  it,  but  that  time  was  past. 

There,  I  think  those  last  paragraphs  clean  the 
whole  thing  up,  and  I  may  now  safely  say — imagine 
me  making  my  best  bow — that  my  Reminiscences 
op  a  Voyage  Around  the  World,  are  complete. 


. 


AGEXTS    WA  N  TEI). 


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R.   A.    BEAL, 
Ann  Arbor,  Mich. 


DESCRIPTIVE   CATALOGUE. 


DR.  CHASE'S  EEC 


OR, 

INFORMATION    FOR    EVERYBODY: 

an  invaluable  collection  of  about  eight  hundred 

PRACTICAL   RECIPES 

For  Merchants,  Grocers,  Saloon-keepers,  Physicians,  Drug- 
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A,    \V,  CHASE.  M.  D. 

Carefully  revised,  illustrated  and  enlarged,  with  remarks  and  full 

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THE  JUDD  FAMILY 


OR, 

AN  EVENING  VISIT,  AND  WHAT  CAME  OF  IT: 

WITH    AN   APPENDIX, 

Explaining  Ancient  Practices  and  Customs  as  shown  by  their  Hieroglyphics^ 

BY  THE  REV.  JOHN  SQOTFORD. 


The  Work  is  a  popular  treatise  on  the  subject  of  Christian  Bap- 
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subject  is  discussed  in  its  several  bearings— as  to  the  proper  subjects 
and  Scriptural  mode. 

The  position  taken  by  the  author  is  so  thoroughly  substantiated 
in  the  history  of  "  The  Judd  Family,"  that  some  of  our  most  scien- 
tific men,  to  whom  the  manuscript  was  submitted,  most  cheerfully 
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Chase's  Recipes,"  would  never  have  undertaken  its  publication. 

Persons  who  have  any  doubt  about  the  mode  of  Baptism,  will 
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The  Judd  Family  is  printed  on  good  paper  and  contains  304 
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REMINISCENCES 


OF  A 


VOYAGE  AROUND  THE  WORLD. 


By   R.   C.   DAVIS 


This  voyage  was  made  in  a  new  merchant  ship,  the  "Hampton," 
from  Bath,  Maine,  between  September,  1S49,  and  August,  1851,  via 
Cape  Horn  to  San  Francisco,  and  the  Sandwich  and  other  Islands 
of  the  Western  Pacific,  to  Calcutta,  returning  by  the  Cape  of  Good 
Hope  to  London,  England,  thence  to  Boston,  touching  at  many 
intermediate  points  along  the  route,  in  the  Western  Pacific,  East 
Indies,  etc.,  of  which  no  previous  description  had  been  given. 

Who  has  not  "heard  of  the  far  of  sea  ?"  and  who  is  not  deeplj' in- 
terested in  all  that  relates  to  sea-life  ?— This  is  a  faithful  narrative 
of  actual  events,  and  describes,  truthfully,  the  places  visited  during 
the  voyage,  as  well  as  the  habits  of  the  people. 

This  Work  is  uniform  in  size  with  Dr.  Chase's  Recipes  and 
The  Judd  Family,  and  contains  over  300  pages,  and  retails,  bound 
in  Cloth  only,  at  SI. 

And  probably  there  is  no  other  three  books  published,  with 
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And,  notwithstanding  that  Dr.  Chase's  Recipes  have  been 
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and  that  up  to  and  including  1869,  over  400,COO  copies  of  the  Work 
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DR.  CHASE'S 

Steam  Printing-House 

A^^"  ARBOR,   nXOCHIG^YnS-, 

Was  first  built  in  1861,  (22x70  feet  four  stories,  including  the  base- 
ment, which  is  used  for  the  Press-room),  mainly  for  the  purpose  of 
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room  for  one  Department  of  the  business.  But  m  I860  he  purchased 
the  Peninsular  Cockier,  and  began  to  do 

JOB-PRINTING  &ND  BOOK-BIHDLNG 

Adopting  the  motto  — good  work  f  >r  the  "least  posscbee 
price— it  soon  became  necessary  to  occupy  the  whole  of  one  story 
for  each  branch  or  Department;  and  ultimately  finding  our  rooms 
too  small  for  the  work  demanded  at  our  hands,  in  the  summer  of 
1868,  we  made  an  addition  of  40x70  feet,  finishing  each  story  in  one 
room  ;  the  Bindery, Compositor's,  Press-room  and  Office  being  each 
39x68  feet,  putting  in  a  22  horse  Boiler  and  Engine,  one  of  Hoe's 
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worked,  (while  nearly  all  other  Western  printing  establishments 
can  only  work  eight  pages,  our  press-work  costing  only  one-half 
as  much  as  theirs"),  with  much  other  machinery  and  furnishing  em- 
ployment for  OVER  FORTY  HANDS,  and  Seven  Power  Presses 
making  it  the 

MOST  COMPLETE  PRINTING-HOUSE  IN    THE   WEST. 

Clergymen,  Lawyers  and  others  who  may  desire  the  publication 
of  Books,  Pamphlets,  Briefs,  Sermons,  Reports,  Minutes,  By-Laws, 
<Src,  &c,  will  find  it  greatly  to  their  advantage  to  correspond  with  us 
before  contracting  elsewhere.  Estimates  cheerfully  and  promptly 
furnished. 

In  sending  for  Estimates,  please  give  the  size  of  page,  size  of 
type,  number  of  pages,  number  of  copies  and  style  of  binding. 

Since  purchasing  the  Peninsular  Courier,  we  have  changed 
its  name  to 

THE    PENINSULAR     COURIER     AND    FAMILY    VISITANT, 

Besides  greatly  enlarging  it,  and  it  is  now  acknowledged  to  be  the 

LARGEST,  CHEAPEST  AND  BEST  FAMILY  PAPER  IN  THE  STATE 

In  proof  of  this  assertion  we  have  only  to  state  that  at  the  time 
of  its  purchase  the  circulation  was  less  than  300,  now  over  SIXTEEN 
HUNDRED  copies,  (being  more  than  double  that  of  any  other  paper  in 
the  County),  and  our  subscription  list  is  constantly  increasing— De- 
voted to  News,  Politics,  Temperance,  Morality  and  Religion — 
Soundly  Republican,  alive  in  all  its  Departments. 

TERMS: 

$1.50  per  vear,  invariably  in  advance;  toClergvmen,  $1.  Price 
of  "Dr.  Chase's  Recipes,"  by  mail,  $1.25;  the  "Judd  Family,"  $1; 
the  "  Reminiscences,"  $1. 

4QT-  Any  of  these  Books  are  sent,  post  paid,  to  any  part  of  the 
United  States,  on  the  receipt  by  letter  of  the  retail  price. 

Having  purchased  Dr.  Chase's  entire  interest  in  these  Books  and 
Printing  House,  August  30th,  1869,  all  orders  should  hereafter  be  ad- 
dressed to 

R.  A.  BEAL,  Proprietor. 


/ 


RARE  BOOK 
COLLECTION 


THE  LIBRARY  OF  THE 

UNIVERSITY  OF 

NORTH  CAROLINA 

AT 

CHAPEL  HILL 


Travel 

G440 

.D26 


